Officials say higher reimbursements will attract more providers
BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer
announced Tuesday Officials said higher reimbursement rates will attract more health care providers to serve Medicaid patients and increase patient ac-
cess to health care.
“Today’s move really creates a space that allows physicians all over the state to be able to take more Medicaid patients in their panel, opening up access for patients,” said Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein
“Better reimbursement rates empower doctors to see more patients and potentially open up
more clinics,” he said.
Improved patient access should lead to more preventive care and better treatment of chronic conditions, Greenstein said.
With the change, Medicaid providers are now getting reimbursed at 85% of the Medicare reimbursement rate.
Previously, the rate for professional health care services was, in aggregate, 73% of the Medicare
reimbursement rate, Greenstein said. That’s because different types of providers, such as primary care doctors, pediatricians, surgeons and psychologists, for example, had different rates.
Medicaid is a health insurance program for low-income people run by the state. It’s funded by both the state and federal government, with the latter picking up most of the cost.
Medicare, the health insurance program for seniors, is run and paid for by the federal govern-
Partial court had already struck it down
BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer
A federal appeals court on Monday va-
cated an earlier ruling that struck down Louisiana’s controversial law requiring public schools and colleges to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms, setting the stage for a new round of arguments in the high-stakes case.
In June, a three-judge panel of the 5th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law is “plainly unconstitutional” and cannot be enforced. But in a Monday evening order, the court agreed to a request by Louisiana for the full 5th Circuit to rehear the case, nullifying the earlier ruling.
The decision by a majority of judges on the court to reconsider the case could lead to a very different outcome than the panel’s ruling. Two of the three judges on the panel were appointed by Democrats, while 12 of 17 active judges on the full court were appointed by Republicans, with six selected by President Donald Trump. The full 5th Circuit is widely con-
sidered the country’s most conservative federal court of appeals.
In the meantime, a U.S. District Court’s preliminary injunction will stand, barring the state from enforcing the law
The Ten Commandments case has been closely watched as a test of the traditional divide between church and state, and legal observers say it’s likely that the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately will hear the case. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said Monday that she looks forward to arguing the case before the full appeals court, known as an “en banc” hearing.
ment. The increased Medicaid rate applies to physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives and physician assistants, Greenstein said. Health Department spokesperson Emma Herrock said that while some rates had been bumped up in the past, “this is probably one of the most comprehensive increases to rates in a decade.”
Dr Wyche Coleman, a primary
Iberville mourns deputy killed in shooting
Another officer wounded in incident
BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer
Residents waited somberly outside the Iberville Parish Courthouse on Tuesday, with the flags at half-staff and two mobile blood collection trucks parked outside the entrance — the only indication that something tragic had happened there the night before.
They traded rumors and scraps of information as they stood in the grass, preparing to donate blood in honor of a deputy who was killed and a detective who was injured Monday night in a shooting at the courthouse.
“This isn’t us,” resident Kayla Garvin said. “This isn’t Iberville.” One deputy was killed, and a detective was critically wounded, during a struggle with suspect Latrell Clark, who was being questioned in connection with a sex crimes investigation, according to the Louisiana State Police. Clark was also killed.
According to the Louisiana State Police, Clark attempted to disarm
See MEDICAID, page 9A ä See DEPUTY, page 9A
Contrasting accounts emerge in Lacy crash investigation
State Police maintain stance on 2024 fatal collision
BY AIDAN McCAHILL Staff writer
Nearly half a year after former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy took his life, two contrasting accounts are emerging over how Louisiana State Police handled the investigation that led to his arrest three months before his death Lacy was accused of causing a Dec. 17, 2024, crash that killed
78-year-old Herman Hall, a military veteran from Thibodaux.
While his car never collided with others, Lacy’s reckless driving caused a chain of events that led to the crash, State Police say In January, the 24-year-old turned himself in to State Police on counts of negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle. Lacy was seen by many as destined for a bright future in the NFL. A former transfer from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, he was the SEC co-leader for receiving yards during the 2024 season. After the accident, the
NFL withdrew its invitation for him to participate in the annual draft combine. Then, in April, two days before Lacy’s case was set to appear in front of a grand jury related to the crash, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Houston while fleeing police as a result of a separate incident.
On Friday, attorney Matt Ory, who represented Lacy and has claimed his innocence from the beginning, appeared on a news station in Houma to reveal new evidence collected by the Lafourche Parish District Attorney’s Office. The findings — which Ory says
absolve Lacy of responsibility for the crash — have sparked a mix of public outcry and confusion on social media, among sports commentators, and among public officials.
On Monday, the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus called for an independent investigation into the State Police handling of the case. Later in the day, on the nationally televised “Monday Night Football,” former LSU player Ryan Clark described Lacy’s fate as an injustice, a sentiment echoed by other commentators, including Pat McAfee and Scott Van Pelt.
ä See LACY, page 9A
STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK Attorney General Liz Murrill speaks alongside Gov. Jeff Landry during a news conference in 2024 regarding the Ten Commandments in
Riley
STAFF FILE PHOTO
Kyren Lacy started his college career at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette before transferring to LSU
Quantum technology
work wins physics Nobel STOCKHOLM Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday for research on the strange behavior of subatomic particles called quantum tunneling that enabled the ultra-sensitive measurements achieved by MRI machines and laid the groundwork for better cellphones and faster computers.
The work by John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M Martinis, who work at American universities, took the seeming contradictions of the subatomic world — where light can be both a wave and a particle and parts of atoms can tunnel through seemingly impenetrable barriers — and applied them in the more traditional physics of digital devices. The results of their findings are just starting to appear in advanced technology and could pave the way for the development of supercharged computing.
The prize-winning research in the mid-1980s took the subatomic “weirdness of quantum mechanics” and found how those tiny interactions can have real-world applications, said Jonathan Bagger, CEO of the American Physical Society The experiments were a crucial building block in the fastdeveloping world of quantum mechanics.
Speaking from his cellphone, Clarke, who spearheaded the research team, said: “One of the underlying reasons that cellphones work is because of all this work.”
When quantum mechanics first came to light in 1926, it was explained by the example of a cat in a box that was both alive and dead at the same time. The three Nobel winners showed that the idea is not just a thought experiment, and science can put it to work, said Physics Today editor-in-chief Richard Fitzgerald, who worked in a competing research group in the 1990s.
“They didn’t take it that far, but they showed that it can be done,” Fitzgerald said.
New Ariz. representative has yet to be sworn in Adelita Grijalva won a special election for a House seat on Sept. 24, but has been unable to actually represent her district in Congress until the speaker officially swears her into office House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, has so far refused to accommodate her request to officially take office while the House is not conducting legislative business during the government shutdown.
Johnson did not elaborate on what he meant Tuesday by saying he would swear her into office as soon as she wants However, Grijalva could be sworn in during one of the House’s proforma sessions. The next one is Wednesday
Once she officially takes office, Grijalva has said she will join a legislative maneuver to force a vote in the House on a bill that would require the Department of Justice to release the case files on the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Teen decapitates mom’s boyfriend, NYPD says
NEWYORK A troubled teenager lopped off the head of his mother’s boyfriend in a bloody knife attack inside the bathroom of their Staten Island home Monday afternoon, police said.
“I did something bad,” the 19-year-old suspect told his 16-year-old sister after she came home from school to the bloody scene about 4:20 p.m. Monday, according to police sources. “Go to your room.” The sister called their mother, who raced home and called 911.
The mother “just kept saying to her son, ‘Why would you kill him? I still loved him!’ ” said neighbor Jennifer Diaz, who witnessed the aftermath to the slaying.
On Tuesday, cops charged the son, Damien Hurstel, with murder The suspect’s mother had called cops five times on her boyfriend starting in 2021, police source said. In the first incident, she said her boyfriend had been drinking, had a gun on him and was breaking things in the home.
‘Conversion therapy’ case heard
Justices seem to be leaning in favor of a Christian counselor
BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press
WASHINGTON A majority of Supreme Court justices on Tuesday seemed likely to side with a Christian counselor challenging bans on LGBTQ+ “conversion therapy” for kids as a violation of her First Amendment rights.
Kaley Chiles, with support from President Donald Trump’s administration, argues the laws passed by about half of U.S. states wrongly bar her from offering voluntary, faith-based therapy for kids.
She’s challenging the law in Colorado. The state says its measure simply regulates licensed therapists by barring a practice that’s been scientifically discredited and linked to serious harm.
But the court’s conservative majority didn’t seem convinced that states can restrict talk therapy
aimed at changing feelings or behavior while allowing counseling that affirms kids identifying as gay or transgender Justice Samuel Alito said the law “looks like blatant viewpoint discrimination.”
Therapist says law silences her Chiles contends her approach is different from the kind of conversion therapy once associated with practices like shock therapy decades ago. She said she believes “people flourish when they live consistently with God’s design, including their biological sex.”
Her attorneys argue the bans make it difficult for parents to find a therapist willing to work on gender identity unless the counseling specifically affirms transition.
“Ms Chiles is being silenced, and the kids and families who want her help are unable to access it,” said attorney James Campbell. Violating the law carries potential fines of $5,000 and license suspension or even revocation.
The Republican administration argued the Colorado law suppresses therapists’ speech, and
should be subject to the higher legal standard of strict scrutiny, one that few measures pass.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson questioned why the Colorado law should be struck down, while the court upheld a different measure from Tennessee that bans transition-related treatments for transgender kids.
The Justice Department counters that Tennessee’s law is different because it involves medical treatments rather than conversations between a patient and their therapist.
State says therapy is health care
Families who have spoken in favor of restrictions include Linda Robertson, a Christian mom of four from Washington state whose son Ryan underwent therapy that promised to change his sexual orientation after he came out to her at age 12. The techniques led him to blame himself when it didn’t work, leaving him ashamed and depressed, she said. He died in 2009, after multiple suicide attempts and a drug overdose at age 20.
Motorists lift helicopter to rescue woman in crash
BY HALLIE GOLDEN Associated Press
A medical helicopter crashed on a highway in California’s capital, critically injuring three people aboard, including a woman who was pinned underneath and was rescued with the help of motorists who lifted part of the aircraft, officials said.
The helicopter landed upside down Monday evening and left debris scattered across U.S. 50 east of downtown Sacramento. The aircraft had departed a hospital after dropping off a patient when it experienced an “in-air emergency” and went down just after 7 p.m., said Captain Justin Sylvia with the Sacramento Fire Department.
A pilot, nurse and paramedic were taken to hospitals in critical condition, he said No one on the highway was injured, he said, calling that “mind blowing” given that the helicopter crashed in the center of the eastbound lanes.
“People reported that they basically saw the helicopter kind of going down quickly So all the traffic slowed down,” Sylvia said.
An injured woman was trapped underneath the helicopter and a crew from the fire department was able to work with
motorists to push the aircraft off and get her into an ambulance.
“It took every ounce of all approximately 15 people to move that aircraft up just enough to get her out,” he said.
Aimee Braddock was among those who helped. She told KCRA-TV that she rushed to the crash site after seeing the helicopter plummet to the pavement
“As soon as I saw that everybody was moving to try to push the helicopter out to help the first responders get to the passenger, I just ran over and got in the line of people and was just pushing it as much as I could,” Braddock recounted. “Then we held it for several minutes, so the first responder could get the person out.”
The helicopter did not catch on fire, Sylvia said.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration said they were investigating the crash of the Airbus EC-130 T2.
Eastbound lanes of the highway were closed throughout the night and reopened Tuesday morning.
The aircraft was a REACH Air Medical helicopter according to the company, which said in a statement that they “are keeping all those impacted in our thoughts and prayers.”
N.H. justice takes plea deal after accusations of influencing probe
By The Associated Press
CONCORD, N.H. — A New Hampshire Supreme Court justice pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor Tuesday after facing charges that she tried to interfere with a criminal investigation into her husband, who ran the state’s division of ports and harbors.
State Supreme Court Associate Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi was indicted in October 2024 by a Merrimack County grand jury for two felonies and five misdemeanors. Under a plea deal approved by a judge on Tuesday those charges were dismissed, and Marconi pleaded no contest to criminal solicitation of misuse of position, which is a misdemeanor Marconi had been accused of soliciting then-Republican Gov Chris Sununu to influence the attorney general’s investigation into her husband, telling him that the investigation was the result of “personal petty and/or political biases.” According to the indictment, she told Sununu
there was no merit to the allegations and that any investigation into her husband “needed to be wrapped up quickly because she was recused from important cases pending” before the court.
Authorities have not disclosed the nature of that investigation, but Marconi’s husband, Geno Marconi, has been charged with interfering with it by deleting voicemails and providing confidential motor vehicle records to a third party.
Geno Marconi, the director of the New Hampshire Division of Ports and Harbors, faces two felony charges — witness tampering and falsifying evidence — and four misdemeanors of obstructing government administration and violating driver privacy Bradley Cook, chair of the port division’s advisory council, also was charged with perjury and false swearing and is accused of lying to a grand jury about Marconi.
Marconi will pay $1,200 fine for pleading no contest and state prosecutors will agree that her offense does not fall under the definition a “serious crime.”
“What happened in conversion therapy, it devastated Ryan’s bond with me and my husband,” she said. “And it absolutely destroyed his confidence he could ever be loved or accepted by God.”
Colorado argues its law does allow for wide-ranging faith-based conversations, and it exempts religious ministries. No one has been sanctioned under the 2019 law
State attorneys say that therapy is health care, and that Colorado has a responsibility to regulate it.
“Providers have a duty to act in their patients’ best interest and according to their professional standards. The First Amendment affords no exception,” Colorado Solicitor General Shannon Stevenson said.
Justice Neil Gorsuch, though, questioned whether the same argument could have been used to restrict pro-LGBTQ therapy in previous decades, when the mainstream medical view was different. “What if a state back then might have passed a law prohibiting talk therapy that affirmed homosexuality?”
Judge blocks effort to alter teen pregnancy prevention programs
BY GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press
A judge Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from requiring recipients of federal teen pregnancy prevention grants to comply with Trump’s orders aimed at curtailing “radical indoctrination” and “gender ideology.”
The ruling is a victory for three Planned Parenthood affiliates — in California, Iowa and New York — that sued to try to block enforcement of a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services policy document issued in July that they contend contradict the requirements of the grants as established by Congress.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell blasted the administration’s policy change in her written ruling, saying it was “motivated solely by political concerns, devoid of any considered process or analysis, and ignorant of the statutory emphasis on
evidence-based programming.”
The policy requiring changes to the pregnancy prevention program was part of the fallout from a series of executive orders Trump signed aimed at rolling back recognition of LGBTQ+ people and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. In the policy, the administration objected to teaching that promotes same-sex marriage and that “normalizes, or promotes sexual activity for minors.”
The Planned Parenthood affiliates argued that the new directives were at odds with requirements of the program — and that they were so vague it wasn’t clear what needed to be done to follow them.
The decision applies not only to the handful of Planned Parenthood groups among the dozens of recipients of the funding, but also nonprofit groups, city and county health departments, tribes and universities that received grants.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SCOTT MARSHALL A medical helicopter is shown after it crashed on U.S. 50 Monday in Sacramento, Calif.
Guardmembers from Texasare in Illinois
BY ERIN HOOLEY and CHRISTINE FERNANDO Associated Press
ELWOOD,Ill. National Guard members from Texas were at an Army Reserve center in Illinois on Tuesday,the most visible sign yet of the Trumpadministration’splan to send troops to the Chicago area despite alawsuit and vigorous opposition from Democratic elected leaders.
IllinoisGov.JBPritzker, who has accused President Donald Trump of using troops as “political props” and “pawns,” did not immediately comment on the development.
The Associated Press saw military personnel in uniforms with the Texas National Guard patch at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, 55 miles southwest of Chicago. Trucks marked EmergencyDisaster Services pulled in and out, dropping off portable toilets and othersupplies
Trailers were set upinrows. Theexactmissionwas not immediately clear,though theTrumpadministration hasanaggressive immigration enforcementoperation in the nation’sthird-largest city,and protesters have frequentlyralliedatanimmigration building outside the city in Broadview Thepresidentrepeatedly has described Chicago in hostile terms, calling it a“hellhole” of crime, although policestatistics show significantdrops in most crimes, including homicides.
Trump’sbid to deploythe military on U.S. soilover local opposition has triggered aconflict with blue state governors.Illinoisand Chicago are urging afederal judge to intervene and stop “Trump’s long-declared‘War’”onthe state. Acourthearingon their lawsuit is scheduled for Thursday.In Oregon, ajudge over theweekend blocked the Guard’sdeploy-
willing to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows a president to dispatchactive dutymilitary in states that are unable to putdown an insurrectionorare defying federal law
Months of tension
Thesight of armed Border Patrol agents making arrests near famous landmarks has amplified concerns from Chicagoans already uneasy after an immigration crackdownthat began last month. Agents have targeted immigrant-heavy and largely Latino areas.
menttoPortland, Oregon.
Ill.:Wedon’t need troops
Pritzker hadsaidMonday that Illinois National Guard troops would be activated alongwith 400 from Texas.
Texas Republican Gov.Greg Abbottposted apictureon social media showing troops boarding aplane and declared, “ever ready.”
ChicagoMayor Brandon Johnson said thepresident’s strategyis“unconstitutional, it’sillegal and it’sdangerous.”
Thenearly 150-year-old Posse Comitatus Actlimits themilitary’srole in enforcing domesticlaws. However, Trumphas said he would be
The Chicago mayor signed an executive order Monday barring federalimmigration agents and others from using city-owned property, such as parking lots, garages and vacant lots, as stagingareasfor enforcement operations.
In Memphis, Tennessee, meanwhile, police Chief Cerelyn Davis said Guard troops could arrive by Fri-
day.She said asmallgroup of commanders were already in the city,working on planning and logistics. Republican Gov.Bill Lee, whosupports the effort, has said the troops will be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Serviceto“play acritical support role”for local law enforcement, though that role hasn’tbeenprecisely defined yet. Since starting his second term, Trump has sent or talked about sending troops to 10 cities, including Baltimore; Memphis, Tennessee; the District of Columbia; New Orleans; and the California cities of Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Most violent crime around the U.S. hasdeclined in recent years. In Chicago, homicides were down 31% to 278through August,police data shows. Portland’shomicides from January through June decreased by 51% to 17 this year compared with the sameperiod in 2024.
BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, ERIC TUCKER and STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press
WASHINGTON Attorney General Pam Bondi repeatedly deflected questions as she sought during acombative congressional hearing on Tuesday to defend herself against growing criticism that she’sturning the law enforcement agency into a weapon to seek vengeance against President Donald Trump’spolitical opponents Democrats sought to use the hearing, coming on the heels of the indictment of former FBI Director James
Comey,to warn of what they viewasthe politicization of adepartment that has long prided itself on remaining independent fromthe White House.
ing conservative claims that PresidentJoe Biden’sJustice Department— which brought twocriminal cases against Trump —was theone thathad been weaponized.
Bondi brushed aside with seeming disdain questionsabout her tumultuoustenure, flatly refusing to answer time and again as Democratspressed her on politicallychargedinvestigations, the firings of career prosecutors and othermatters.Her refusaltoengage on the questions meant little if anyfreshinsight wasofferedabout her actionsand decisions, with Bondi insteadoptingtorespondto Democrats’attacksbyecho-
“They were playing politicswith law enforcement powers and will go down as ahistoric betrayalofpublic trust,” Bondi said of the BidenJustice Department. “This is the kind of conduct thatshatters the American people’sfaithinour law enforcement system. We will work to earn that back every single day.”
The hearing split early along deeply partisanlines, with Republicans repeatedly leaping to her defenseto highlight thecriminal cases againstthe presidentthat they say show the institution she inherited was deeply politicized. Theypointed
Trumpthreatens no back pay forfederal workersinshutdown
BY LISA MASCARO AP congressional corespondent
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump’sadministration warned on Tuesday of noguaranteed back pay for federal workersduring agovernment shutdown,reversingwhathas been long-standing policy forsome750,000 furloughed employees,accordingtoamemo being circulated by the White House Trump signed intolaw afterthe longest government shutdown in 2019 legislation to ensure federal workers receiveback pay during any federal funding lapse. But in the new memo, his Office of Management and Budget says back pay must be provided by Congress, if it chooses to do so, aspart of any bill to fund the government.
“There are some people that don’tdeserve to be taken care of, and we’ll take care of them in adifferent way,” Trump said during an event at the White House. He said back pay “depends on who we’re talking about.” Asked asecond time about backpay for furloughed federal workers given that the requirementisspelled outin law,Trump said: “I follow thelaw,and what the law says is correct.”
Refusing retroactive pay to the workers, someofwhom mustremain on the job as essential employees, would be astark departurefrom norms and practices and almost certainly would be met with legal action.
“That should turn up theurgency and the necessityofthe Democratsdoing theright thinghere,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said at anews conference at the Capitol.
Johnson, R-Benton, alawyer, said he hadn’tfully read thememo but “there are some legalanalystswho aresaying” that it may notbenecessary or appropriate to repay thefederal workers.
In the memo draft prepared for Trump’s Office of Managementand Budget Director Russ Vought, first reported by Axios,the office’sgeneralcounsel Mark Paoletta lays out alegal rationale for no back pay for federal workers.
The memo explains that while the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 says workers shall be paid after federal funding is restored,itargues theaction is not self-executing. Instead, the memo says, repaying the federal workers would have to be part of subsequent legislation,presumably in thebill to reopen the government
to revelations from aday earlier that the FBI had analyzed phone records of several Republicanlawmakers as part of an investigation into Trump’sefforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden, aDemocrat.
“This is an outrage, an unconstitutional breach and ought to be immediately addressed by you and Director Patel,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the committee, toldBondi, referring to FBI Director Kash Patel.
Democrats, meanwhile, accused Bondi of destroying thedepartment’scredibility and eroding its longstanding independencefrom the WhiteHouse as theRepublicanpresident publicly calls for the prosecution of his political foes.
The hearing markedBon-
di’sfirst before thepanel since her confirmation hearing last January,whenshe pledgedtonot playpolitics with the Justice Department —a promise Democrats pounced on as they pressed the attorney general on whether shecan withstand political pressure from the White House.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar,DMinn., reminded Bondi of that commitment and asked herifshe thought shehad upheld it. Bondi replied that she believed she absolutely had.
“I pledged that Iwould end the weaponizationalso of the Justice Department and that America would once again have aone tier system of justice for all,”Bondi said. “And that is what we are doing.”
Bondirefusedrepeatedly to discuss matters, including abribery investigation
into Trumpborder czar Tom Homan that was shuttered under the Trump administration. That drew the ire of Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, aRhode Island Democrat, who accused Bondi of responding with “far-right internet talking points.” She also declined to say whethershe talkedtothe president aboutthe case against Comey,who was charged last monthwithlying to theSenate Judiciary Committeewhen he said he had not authorized anyone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about aparticular investigation. His indictment camejust days after Trumpappeared to publicly implore her on social media to take that action against him and other perceived political enemies.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERINHOOLEy Militarypersonnel in uniform, with the TexasNational Guard patch on, are seen Tuesdayatthe U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, Ill., asuburb of Chicago.
Bondi
Gaza talksenter second dayonwar’s anniversary
BY SAMY MAGDY and DAVID RISING Associated Press
CAIRO— Peace talks between Israel and Hamas resumed at an Egyptian resort city on Tuesday,the two-year anniversary of the militant group’ssurprise attack on Israel that triggeredthe bloody conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The second day of indirect negotiations at the Red Sea resortofSharm el-Sheikh is focused on aplan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump last weekthat aims to bringabout an endto the war Khalil al-Hayya, asenior Hamas official, told Egypt’s Qahera TV that Hamas wanted guarantees of alasting ceasefire as part of any deal to return the remaining 48 hostages, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive.
It appeared to be his first public appearance since an Israeli strike targeting him
Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Stripcarry posters withportraits of their loved ones during aprotest demanding their immediate release and calling for aceasefire in Jerusalem on Tuesday,the second anniversaryofHamas’ cross-border attack on Israel on Oct. 7,2023,which sparked theongoing warinGaza.
and other top Hamas leaders in Qatar lastmonthkilled six people,including hisson and office manager
IsraeliPrime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu has acceptedTrump’s plan, which calls forthe immediate release of the hostages. The
plan also calls for Gaza to be placedunder international governance and for Hamas to be disarmed, elements the militants have yet to accept.
Netanyahu’s office said Tuesday that Israel was “cautiously optimistic, framing the talks as techni-
cal negotiations over aplan that both sides already had approved.
The plan has received widespread international backing,and Trumptold reporters on Monday that he thought therewas a“really good chance” of alasting deal.
In asign the talks were gaining momentum, Qatar said its prime minister and top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed binAbdulrahman Al Thani,would travelto Egypt on Wednesday to join thenegotiations. Trump’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff andthe president’s son-in-law,Jared Kushner, as well as top Netanyahu adviser RonDermer,are also expectedtojointhe talks then.
Trump’speace plan
The plan envisions Israel withdrawing itstroops from Gaza afterHamas disarms, and an international security force being put in place. The territory would be placed underinternational gover-
nance, with Trumpand former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing it.
In astatement issued Tuesday,Hamas reiterated its longstanding demands for alasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza but said nothing about disarmament.
Thewar began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and killed around 1,200 people,mostly civilians,and abducted 251. Most have since been released in ceasefires or other deals.
The ensuing war has killed at least 67,160 Palestinians and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’sHealth Ministry,and left the territory in ruins.
The ministry does notdifferentiate between civilians and combatants, but says around half of the deaths were women and children.
Theministryispartofthe Hamas-run government, and the United Nations and many independent experts consider its figures to be the
most reliable estimate of wartimecasualties.
Agrowing numberofexperts, including thosecommissioned by aU.N.body, have said Israel’soffensive in Gaza amountstogenocide —anaccusation Israel vehemently denies.
Promiseofrelief
Ahead of the resumption of talks, U.N. SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres said the hostilities have created “a humanitarian catastrophe on ascale that defied comprehension.”
Trump’sproposal “presents an opportunity that must be seized to bring this tragic conflict to an end,” Guterres said in astatement. Majed al-Ansari, aspokesmanfor Qatar’sForeign Ministry,saidMonday’s talks went on for around four hours.
Part of the plan is to surge humanitarian aidintoGaza, where more than2 million Palestinians arefacing hunger and, in someareas, famine.
Pro-Palestinianprotestsheldonanniversary of Hamas’ attack
BY SUZAN FRASER Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey Protesters gatheredinseveralcountries Tuesday to condemn the war in Gaza as Israelis marked the secondanniversary of the Hamas attack that sparked the fighting that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and spilled violence across the MiddleEast.
More than 1,000 pro-Palestinian protesters marched to the U.S. EmbassyinIndonesia’scapital of Jakarta to denounce Israel’sblockade of Gaza and the detention of activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla that tried to breakthrough lastweek
Chanting “Free free Palestine” and waving flags, demonstrators called for the activists’releaseand condemned two years of Israeli military action in Gaza.
Authorities in Indonesia —the world’smost populous Muslim majoritynation and one that has no formalties with Israel —deployed over 1,000 police to secure the embassy Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 people in the Oct. 7, 2023,attack during a major Jewish holiday.Most hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals.
Israel’sretaliatory offensiveinGazahas killed
morethan67,000people, destroyed vast areas of the strip, displaced around 90% of thepopulationof some 2million and caused ahumanitarian crisis, with experts saying Gaza City is experiencing famine.
Theconflict has sent ripplesacross the region, bringing Israel into combat with Lebanon’sHezbollah group, Yemen’sHouthirebels and militant groups in Iraqand Syria alongwith theirpatron, Iran, which suffered majorlosses in a12-day war with Israel in June.
U.S. embassies across Europewarned Americans to stay vigilant on theanniversary of theattacks, citingpotential threats and protests. The coordinated notices from embassiesin Armenia, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany,Greece, Iceland, Norway,Spain and Turkey urged heightened awareness and personal security precautions.
In Japan, hundreds of protesters,including Palestinians, marched through downtown Tokyo demanding aceasefire inGaza and the hostages’release. Similar protests were held in Osaka and other major cities.
Lena Grace Suda, a 30-year-old Tokyo resident who joined therally,called for sanctionsagainstIsrael.
“Recognizingthe state of Palestineisnot enough
if you’re still complicit in thegenocide,” shesaid. A growing number of experts, including those commissioned by aU.N.body,have said Israel’soffensive in Gaza amountstogenocide —anaccusation Israel vehemently denies.
Hundreds of students and staff from universitiesin London and elsewhere in the U.K. joined protestsdemanding an end to the war in Gaza, defying warnings from Britain’sprimeminister that such demonstrations risk fueling antisemitism.
Keir Starmer hadwarned protesters that marching on theanniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks were “un-British” and disrespectful.
Many of thoserallying carried flags and placards bearing pro-Palestinian slogans.
“Ifyou thinkthatmeprotesting for human rightsofa group of people is offensive towards you, then that is your problem,”saidMuhlisa Husainova, 19.
In Turkey,where public support for Palestinians runs deep, hundreds of demonstratorstookpartin arally organized by various civil society groups, waving Palestinian flags and calling for an end to Israel’sactions in Gaza.
Meanwhile, in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s libertarian PresidentJavier Milei, avocal supporter of Israel,
paid tributetothe victims of Hamas’ Oct. 7attack at acampaign eventthatfelt morelike arock concert.
“Israel is the bastion of theWest, andthat’swhy terrorists and the left wing aretogether,”Milei told
BYERIC MARTIN Bloomberg News (TNS)
WASHINGTON PresidentDonald Trump has called off U.S. diplomatic engagement with Venezuela, people familiar withthe move said, adecision that favors Secretary of State Marco Rubio’smorehard-lineapproach and may leadtofurther military escalation.
Trump told Richard Grenell, alongtime aide whohad been leadingdiplomacy with Venezuela, that he should stop pursuinga deal with NicolasMaduro’sadministration, according to the people, whoasked nottobe identified because they weren’tauthorized to speak publicly.Grenell had been speaking to Venezuelanofficials every fewdays
Trumphas alreadyordered multiple strikes on drug traffickingvesselsatsea andhas recently suggested he could order theU.S.militarytoescalatethose attacks by hittingcartel infrastructure on land —a move that may alsoinvolve risky strikes on Venezuelan militarytargets.
Last week, the White House declared that the U.S. was in a“non-international armed conflict”withdrugcartelsflooding thecountrywith illegal drugs like fentanyl.
While hisadministration has openly called Maduro an illegitimatepresident and has a $50millionbounty on him for “narco-terrorism,”aU.S. military attack on asovereign nation would still be adramatic turn for Trump.
On Friday,Defense Secretary Pete Hegsethsaid the U.S. had destroyed the fifth boat in the southern Caribbean in as many weeks, arguing that the
The decision wasreported earlierbythe New York Times. It marksa victory forRubio, who had waged aturf war withGrenell and favors amore hard-lineapproach to the Maduro government. The White House and State Department didn’timmediately respondtorequests for comment.
porting drugs bound for
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO By LEO CORREA
the crowd. “They know by destroying Israel,they’re destroying the world and Judeo-Christian culture.”
“Guys, Kyren Lacywas supposed to be in theNFL,” Clark said. “KyrenLacy was being accused of something and was being investigated for something that he didn’t do.”
Meanwhile, Louisiana State Police hasdoubled down, defending its investigation. On Tuesday,State Police released11minutes of surveillance and body camera footage recorded on the day of Lacy’scrash, plus additional evidence, including Lacy’sarrest warrant and witness statements. Attorney General LizMurrill has said the findings support accusationsofLacy being responsible for the crash.
According to hisarrest warrant, Lacy was driving south at noon on abusy, two-lane portionofLa. 20in Thibodaux, when he crossed into the northbound lane and illegally passed four vehicles,including an 18-wheeler.One witness claimed he saw the green Dodge Charger driving “at least 80 mph” in the 40 mph speed zone.The Charger rapidly approached agold truck, which was forced to “emergency brake” and drive off the roadway to the right. Immediately behind that truck, aKia Cadenza also took evasive action, but swerved left into oncoming traffic and crashed head-on with aKia Sorento. Hall, apassenger in the Sorrento,was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries. More than 20 surveillance videos were used to identify Lacy as the driver of the Charger During his 45-minute interview with HTV’sMartin Folse,Ory presented findings from an independent investigation conducted by the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office.
“I’m here simply comparingand contrastingthe District Attorney’s Office and State Police with this matter,” Ory said.
In the footage of the crash Ory presented, Lacy’sCharger can be seen driving into the frame about four seconds after the collision. Despite Lacy illegallypassing four vehicles, Ory said the District Attorney’sOffice determined Lacy was over 70 yards behind the cars involved in the crash —and back in the correctlane during the time of impact. That was much too far away for him to be considered responsible, Ory said.
“That is not how this story was ever painted, never,” he said.
Ory also presented police body camera footage of a State Police trooper taking a witness statement from the
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Continued from page1A
is written.
Meanwhile, the State Police’s11-minutevideo, released to the public Monday, does not include that body camera footage. Instead, it includesbodycamera footageofatrooper as he interviews two witnesses at thescene of the crash, both of whom immediatelydescribe agreenDodgeChargerdriving intooncoming traffic.
“When thegreen Charger came, he went andcaused this wholebig traffic, so everybody went and hit their brakes,” saidthe driver of an 18-wheeler that Lacy had allegedly passed.
“The green Charger had stopped, but thenkept going,” another witness said.
The trooper then interviewed thedriverofthe Cadenzawhile shewas still being extricated from her car.She claimed she remembered thetruck attempting to avoid an oncoming car before she did so herself.
“The other car was trying to passthe other car,”she said. “I was trying to dodge by not hittinghim.”
StatePolice also included additional surveillance footage of Lacy’svehicle speeding, before abruptlybreaking and returning to the correct lane.
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care doctor who hasbeen practicing in rural northwest Louisiana forover four decades, said 50% of his practice is Medicaid patients.
“Firsthand I’ve seen the challenge with low reimbursement,” Coleman said.
He added that one of the “biggest challenges” is getting specialty doctors to see Medicaid patients.
Coleman, whose son is ophthalmologist and Health Department Deputy Surgeon General Wyche Coleman III, called the 85% reimbursement rate a“game-changer” that could incentivizeyoung health care providers from Louisiana to return to rural hometowns and launch solo practices.
The increase in provider payments comes after state Sen. Gerald Boudreaux, DLafayette, sponsored abill in 2024 that directed the
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Health Department to put togethera plantoincrease rates. This spring,the Louisiana Legislature appropriated $258 millionfor thecurrent fiscal year to cover the cost of the rate increase, including $200 millionoffederal funding,$22.5 million of state general fund dollars, and $26 millionfromsavings generated by Louisiana Gov.Jeff Landry’s Louisiana DOGE program, Health Department Undersecretary DrewMaranto said. Some of the DOGE-related savings camefrom eligibility checks and removing people from the rolls who moved to another state or died, Greenstein said. Marantosaidthere are just under1.6 million people on MedicaidinLouisiana. He also noted that the ratesfor behavioral health professionals are going up by morethan 30%.
“Weknow that folks need treatment,and they need to get it at the right place,” Maranto said.
In an update Tuesday morning, Stassi Sr.said his son is in intensive care and “continues to fight forhis life.”
“As the Dodge Charger returns to its proper lane, immediate braking and deceleration can be heard,”a narrator of the video says.
driver ofthe goldtruck.The driverhad left thescene of thecrash beforepolicearrived, and the questioning took place five days after the incident occurred “Just make sure you add in there that youhad to slam on thebrakes to avoidthat Charger,” thetrooper said. “I didn’tskidmark or nothing, Iwasn’t even going fast,” thewitness said in the video. “That lady in the back of me, she didn’tsee what’s
“Glad to see the 5thCircuit is taking this en banc,” she said in a statement. The case, Roake v. Brumley,
Staffgraphic
Note:Graphic nottoscale
Source:Policereports
happening. Isay she caused that wreck.”
“Butthe Charger was going right at you? …make sure you include that,” the trooper responded.
Ory said the video indicated a“clear suggestive nature”bythe officer.Ory showed the driver’switness statement,which did not include any mention of the woman driving behind him. Overthe signature portion of the paperwork, “refused”
stems from alawsuit by agroup of public school parentsfrom differentreligiousbackgrounds who said that posting theTen Commandments in every classroom violates students’ First Amendmentright to practice theirfaith free of government interference.
And then the sound of a crash can be heard.
“Sincethe incident occurred, State Police never reported that the green Chargerimpacted anyof theinvolved vehicles,” the narrator said.
More footage shows the green Charger driving in the correct lane,two cars behind the Kia Sorento,slowing after the collision before driving around the scene.
Tenminutesafter the crash, Lacy stoppedata business 11 miles away and called apersonal injury and defense attorney in the Baton Rouge area, StatePolice said.
“The evidence is not disputed here. The Lafourche Parish District Attorney’s Office was prepared to presentthe case to agrand jury that showed Kyren Lacy returningtohis lane.However that does not absolve Kyren Lacy of responsibility in this matter,”Murrill said in astatement. “Every witness identified the green Charger Kyren Lacy was determined to be driving, as having put theeventsinmotionthat led to thehead-on collision, which killed 78-year-old veteran Herman Hall.”
On theday he died, Lacy was fleeing police in Houstonafter afamilymember reported he shot agun into the ground during an argument.
The legal groups representing the families who suedthe state saidMonday that they believe the earlier ruling was well reasoned, followed binding Supreme Court precedent and did not need to be revisited.
“Nevertheless, we look forward to presenting our clients’ case to
Capt. Brett Stassi Jr.after learning he wasunder arrest,resulting in aflurry of gunfire that struckthe three men.Responding
Deputy Charles Riley and Clark diedinthe hospital Stassi Jr., son of Sheriff Brett Stassi,remains in critical but stable condition as of Tuesday afternoon.
For the community of Iberville Parish,the killingadds“another layerof sorrow” to ayear already fraughtwithgrief,according to astatementfromthe city of St. Gabriel. In addition to Riley’sdeath,St. Gabriel policeCapt. Devin Boutte was found stabbed to deathinhis home in July
Reactions of shock and sadness poured in Monday night andintoTuesday,as thepublic andelected officialsalike mournedthe loss of Riley
“RestinPeace Deputy Charles Riley,” Louisiana AttorneyGeneral Liz Murrill wrote on X. “I’m praying for his family,friends, and his fellow officers at theIberville Parish Sheriff’s Office. Please continue to pray hard forCaptain Stassi to makeafull recovery after the horrific shooting last night.”
Gov.Jeff Landry missed anewsconferenceabout Medicaid in order to visit the injured detective in thehospital,Secretary of Health Bruce Greenstein said.
theentire court of appeals, and we remain confidentthatthe constitutional valuesand principles at the heart of the First Amendment, which guaranteereligious freedomfor allstudentsand families, will prevailinthe end,” said astatementfrom Americans United for Separation of Church
“Our deputies are deeply hurting as we grieve theloss of oneofour own and pray for another’srecovery,” the sheriff said. “Please continue to keep the men and women of the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Officeinyourthoughts as they navigate this tragedy together.”
‘A piecethatismissing Friendsdescribed Riley as a“jokester,” afamily man anda belovedpresence in the community He served with the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office forsix years in the Uniform Patrol Division. For St. Gabriel resident and friend Sarah Haydel, he was the person to give her teenage sons their first speeding tickets. “Even though he gave them theirfirst speeding ticketsand lectured them, they were still extremely close withRiley,”Haydel said.
Her boys learned of his death before she did, she said.
“Theywalkedinthe room,and my sonjust broke down,” Haydel said. “He said, ‘Mama, it wasRiley.’ And Ijust started crying immediately.”
Riley’sformer police partner,Josh Eaton, said Rileyloved his family dearly andalwaysspoke with pride about his children. “His legacy is hiskids,” Eaton said.
andState,the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Louisiana and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Simpson Thacher &Bartlett LLP is serving as pro bono counsel. Email Patrick Wall at patrick. wall@theadvocate.com.
Acadiana Forecast
ACLU sues Trump administration
Lawsuit claims Louisiana ICE facility at Angola is unconstitutional
BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer
The federal government is using the “Louisiana Lockup” at Angola to illegally punish immigrants twice for the same offense, the American Civil Liberties Union claimed Monday in a lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump’s administration.
The federal lawsuit, filed Monday in the Middle District of Loui-
siana, argues that a detainee is being held at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola even though his deportation order is more than 6 months old, which the ACLU says is unconstitutional.
And by holding immigrants at a facility located on the grounds of the country’s largest maximumsecurity prison, the Trump administration is using the immigration system, whose proceedings are civil, to dole out criminal punish-
Court reverses librarian defamation ruling
Judge says claims were dismissed too early
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
An appeals court has ruled that a Livingston Parish librarian’s defamation lawsuit against conservative bloggers who implied in online posts that she was promoting porn in libraries will be heard again in the trial court.
Louisiana’s 1st Circuit Court of Appeal ruled Tuesday to reverse and remand the original ruling from a district court in October 2022, which had dismissed the defamation lawsuit filed by school librarian Amanda Jones.
Judge Erika Sled, of the 21st Judicial District Court, dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that Jones was a limited public figure and that the bloggers’ posts were opinions The judge also later denied the librarian’s request for a new trial.
The appellate court ruled that the district court dismissed Jones’ claims too early and that Jones had presented sufficient evidence to suggest that some of the posts might be deemed defamatory
The appellate court’s decision calls for the district court’s judgment to be overturned and that the lawsuit will be sent back to that court to be heard again, according to the judgment.
“The truth will always eventually prevail,” Jones said Tuesday about the ruling. Jones filed the lawsuit after a 2022 meeting of the Livingston Parish Library Board of Control, where discussions took place about restricting access to books that some attendees deemed inappropriate for children.
Jones, who is a librarian for Livingston Parish Public Schools, spoke out at the meeting against possible book banning and censorship.
Michael Lunsford, a blogger and executive director of Citizens for a New Louisiana, spoke at the same meeting, alleging that some books were inappropriate and should be restricted.
Following the meeting, Jones said she was the target of several blog posts by Lunsford and Ryan Thames, implying she was grooming children and promoting pornography in the libraries Thames lives in Denham Springs and operates the Facebook page Bayou State of Mind.
Jones, who was president of the Louisiana Association of School Librarians at the time, said she received at least one death threat following the meeting and posts. She said Tuesday that the latest ruling shows it is not acceptable to defame individuals who speak out against book censorship at public meetings Lunsford said Tuesday he is ready for these legal proceedings to be over after a long three years and hopes it is not another three years.
“I think we’ve got the same shot we had before,” Lunsford said.
Tuesday’s decision comes after the Louisiana Supreme Court in December vacated an appellate court judgment in favor of Jones and ordered the matter be reconsidered on its merits.
Email Claire Grunewald at claire. grunewald@theadvocate.com.
ment, the lawsuit says. Spokespeople for the Department of Homeland Security and Gov. Jeff Landry’s office did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit. In a statement, Department of Public Safety and Corrections spokesperson Tiffany Dickerson said the agency was “unable to provide a response” to a media inquiry and directed questions to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“I haven’t been to the facility it’s run by the federal government. I have no reason to believe that they aren’t following federal guidelines for ICE detainees,” state Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement.
The state is not a named defendant in the lawsuit.
On Sept. 3, Landry, U.S Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem
Coaches praise singer’s unique performance style
BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer
When Acadiana native Dustin Dale Gaspard opened on “The Voice” with a swamp pop-inflected version of Sam Cooke’s
“Bring It On Home To Me,” the celebrity coaches didn’t expect to hear Cajun French in the middle of the soul classic.
It was clear that Niall Horan, Michael Bublé, Reba McEntire and Snoop Dogg were enjoying Gaspard’s confident performance, with his touch of country western swag. But when he transitioned into French on the second verse, their excitement at the unique sound was palpable. All four judges turned their chairs around for Gaspard on the episode that aired Monday — the second-to-last round of blind auditions before the contestants go head-to-head for votes. Each vied for the opportunity to mentor Gaspard as part of their teams on season 28 of “The Voice,” enthusiastically praising his unique sound and authenticity “You’re different, you’re unusual, you’re
unveiled the Louisiana Lockup, located at Angola. Noem touted Angola’s “notorious” history, describing it as a place fit to hold the “worst of the worst.”
“If you commit a violent crime in this country — if you rape a child, if you commit a murder, if you commit a horrible, heinous crime, we are going to prosecute you here and we are going to keep you here for the rest of your life,” Bondi said.
Creole cooking
said McEntire, connecting with Gaspard over her own Southern, Oklahoma-born roots. Snoop Dogg took a similar tactic, telling the singer he
BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business editor
The former Café Vermilionville building will reopen, possibly as
LEFT: Pulling chicken for the boudin making is part of
La.delegation should brew up arguments againsttariffs on Brazil
Now that better relations are percolatingbetween President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Louisiana’s legislative delegation should urge Trumpto eliminate massive tariffs on Brazilian goods —including coffee, which is akey commodityshipped through Louisiana ports.
Trump has imposed an extra 40% tariff, on top of his standard 10%, on Brazilian goods. Those levies are particularly damaging to Louisiana because coffeeisthe largest containerized import at the Port of New Orleans,with 42% of those beans coming from Brazil.Asreporter Anthony McAuley wrote in these pages, thecostofwholesale Arabicabeans rose from$1.20 perpound before the pandemictoarecord highof$4.40 now with asignificant portion of the increase due to the tariff.
Louisiana coffee traders say theirfinances are suddenly precarious, as it is they, not Brazil, who actuallymust pay the tariff. Such businessestypically operate on thin margins,which the tariffs are squeezing or even obliterating
“We’ve been around for decades, but nothing in our experience compares to this moment,” said Matt Madary,head of thehalf-century-old International Coffee Corp., amajor Metairie-based wholesale trader.“Every day isa new calculation. We’re constantly weighing prices, shipping delays and now the legallandscape.It’sexhausting.”
The good news, of asort, is thatTrump’stariff decisions are mercurial. He blitzed Brazil’simports, even though the U.S.actuallyruns ahefty trade surpluswith Brazil, because he didn’tlike the prosecution of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Now, though, current President Lula has established arelationship withTrump, and after an Oct.6phone call, Trumpsaid they soonwould meet in person. Lula’s office said Lula specifically asked for the removal of the 40% tariff.
This is now agood timefor Louisiana’s congressional delegation to weigh in. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, are thekey agents of Trump’sagenda, and the other Republicanmembers of the delegation all seem to be in Trump’s good graces. They shouldbeperfectly placed to prevail uponTrumpthat his Braziliantariffs are harming American importers and costing jobs at ports, retailers androastingcompanies right here in Louisiana, not tomention forcing price hikes for coffee nationwide.
The last thing Trump needs politically is consumers nationallyangry at him for exorbitantly priced cups of joe.
Also, it is worth noting thatthe U.S. andBrazil are the West’stwo largest democracies, andthat aunited front with Brazil could helpTrump counterthe communists in Venezuela and thecrisis of political violence in Haiti —where the U.S.is leading United Nations efforts to combat gangs, and where Brazil in the past has putboots onthe ground to assist.
Allofwhich providesLouisiana lawmakers good grounds to argue that the extra tariffmust end.
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR
GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com. TO SEND
OPINION
WorkingtobetterLa. with Trump’sagenda
Aug. 29 marked 20 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana. Iwas adoctor,teaching medical studentsand treating patients in theLSU public hospital system Louisianans lost homes, schools, hospitals and hope. Where government failed, neighbors stepped up. Volunteerscared for families as we turned an abandoned Kmart into ahospital, while communities across thestate sheltered the homeless. Afterward, manyasked: Could Louisianadobetter? Iran for office to makeour statesafer,stronger and prosperous. These are still my goals.
In Congress, Isecured billions to strengthen levees, restore the coastline and rebuild roads. To protect
Louisianafamilies, President Donald Trumpsigned my HALTFentanyl Act to stop deadly drugs from flooding our communities.
To create prosperity,President Donald Trumpand Ipassed the Big BeautifulBill. We madeAmerica energy dominant again, supporting oil and gas, because Louisianaisanenergy state. When Louisianapowers the world, we create thousands of jobs.
As adoctor,Iknow prosperity also meanslowering health care costs. President Trumpsigned my No Surprises Act, preventing over one million surprise medical bills monthly.Healso signed abill Ico-authored eliminating gag clauses on pharmacists, allowing them to tell patients how to get lowercost medicines.
What kind of messagewillNational Guardtroopssendtotourists?
This was arough summer for tourism in New Orleans. American touristsare reluctanttotravel due to aslowing economy,weak jobs market and fear of rising costs.
Foreignvisitors,vital to New Orleans’sslow summer tourist season, are avoiding the U.S. to protest theUnited States’ disruptive trade policies and inhumane treatment of immigrants.
Small businesses in New Orleans that rely on tourism are struggling. Many hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, nightclubs and music venues are closing or in danger of closing.
Workers in thetourism and hospitalityindustries could lose their jobsoralready have.
When thepresident falsely describes New Orleans as sounsafe as to need outside help, he contributes toanationwide perception that New Orleansistoo dangerous to visit New Orleansneeds dedicated resources toachieve the safety we want for all New Orleanians, but theNational Guard’sdeployment to
New Orleanswill make us less safe. The impact of cratering tourism will inevitably lead to morecrime, long after the spectacleofthe National Guard in American cities is over New Orleanians applaud the work theNational Guard doesintimes of natural disasters and real crises. However,National Guard troops are neither trained nor qualified to do thechallenging work of urban policing.
It is wrong to use theNational Guard to symbolically occupy American cities, especially when their deployment causes economic harm,asitwill in New Orleans. These young people volunteered to serve their country,not waste their time picking up garbageorguarding federal buildings from imaginary threats.
New Orleanswelcomes all visitorstoenjoy our legendary cuisine, culture, festivals, parades and music, but theNational Guard has no business right now in New Orleans.
ANNMARIE COVIELLO NewOrleans
Women’srightsmay need explaining
Regarding syndicated columnists Kathryn Jean Lopez’sassertion that “rights” come from God, Ican’thelp but ask:IfGod created theworld in just one week —and presumably created humanrights at thesametime why did women have to waitthousands of years for the same rights?
AARON SHIPPER
NewOrleans
Asafer America means stronger borders, defending life and protecting common-sense values. As acommittee chairman, I’ve fought the far-left’sradical transgender ideology in schools. Icare about results. Louisiana is safer,more secure and moreprosperous than 20 years ago. I’ve contributed by showing up, listening and working behind the scenes. That samedrive took me to Kmart in 2005 and guides me in the Senate. I’mproud of what President Trump and I’ve delivered. Together,we’ll keep working and winning forastronger Louisiana.
SEN. BILL CASSIDY Baton Rouge
Cabinetgroveling a scenebeyondwords
Is “unctuosity” aword? If it isn’t, it should be, as in the sentence, “Donald Trump’srecent cabinet meeting set arecord for unctuosity that is unlikely to ever be exceeded.” Except, perhaps, for his next sycophantic, obsequious conclave.
The meeting lasted three hours and 17 minutes, during whichevery single attendee wasobligated to deliver extravagant praise for and to the president that surpassed that of his/her predecessors. Unctuosity squared, cubed, from the likes of puppy-killing Kristi Noem, vaccinescause-autism Robert F. Kennedy Jr., shockingly incompetent Pete Hegseth and others. This was the cabinet meeting during which Trump, so eloquent and articulate, said that slavery wasn’tsobad, that Cracker Barrel should not change its icon, nominated himself for the Nobel Peace Prize and said that he could do whatever he wants sinceheis the president.
That meeting reminded me of asimilarly unctuous praise-fest gathered by Joseph Stalin of his advisers, during which the ruthless dictator delivered an endless recitation of his own accomplishments, mainly, of course, of sending millions of comrades whomhedid not favor to the gulag. After his endless soliloquy,all of the attendees stood and applauded. And applaudedsome more, and even more. All of them,until one guy,exhausted, finally sat down and ceased applauding —and that unfortunate adviser was hustledout of the meeting and never heard from again. But so far in the United States, Iamglad to report, it seems thatno secretary of this or that has disappeared each having fulfilled her or his responsibility of unctuosity
ARNOLD PULDA NewOrleans
What Sec. Pete Hegsethgot rightabout theU.S.military
The expressionlessfaces of the generals, admirals, commanders and officers at the all-hands meetingin Virginia remindedmeofteenagers when their parents are lecturingthem. Impenetrable.
Adarknew stageisset
Kathleen Parker
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth —who changed his department’sname from defense to war,because we don’tplay defense —basically told everyoneat the gathering that they had to get in shape or get out. Our military,though the best in the world (for now), is about to get leaner,meaner and— moremasculine, clean-shaven and proudtobe the biological gender one was assigned at birth.
Like so much coming out of Washington, Hegseth’spromised retrofit of his war machine to its pre-DEI “woke” incarnation at times seemed to have been hatched at acomedywriters’ sleepover.Between his farcical facial antics and superior posturingtoward war veterans twice his age, his directives were abarrage of platitudes: To ensure peace, we must prepare for war.The only mission of the newly restored Department of Waristhis: war fighting. Enemiesgather.Threatsgrow. There is no time for games. We must be prepared. The time is now,and the cause is urgent. It is perhaps better to read than watch Hegseth’sassault on ourmighty military.His overallmessagewas we candobetter,and we must because we might go to war soon. Everything in his arsenal pointed to an inevitable clash with China or Russia or both at once. Not to mention Memphis
The need for astrong defense to avoid war is always urgent, andundoubtedly our foes have long been encouragedbywhat Hegsethdescribed —overweight troops and“wokeness” in the ranks all the way up to thePentagon, meaning policies in the name of diversity, equity and inclusion.He also railed againstlowered standards to accommodate those who can’tmeet the highest male bar.Inother words, women.
Let’spause here. Having written about the military for more than two decades, Ican testifytothe erosionof standards, primarily to advancewomen with an eye on directcombat.There were good reasons to keep female soldiers offthe front lines, but women don’tget promoted in thePentagon without combatrecognition. Obstacles to mixed-gender combat started comingdownin2012, and full inclusion of women in combat wentintoeffect nearly 10 years ago.
By
Defense SecretaryPete Hegseth, center,sits withU.S.militarysenior leadership as theylisten to PresidentDonald TrumpspeakatMarineCorpsBase Quantico in Quantico,Va.
I’veinterviewed too manyinfantry menand women aboutthe pros and consoffemales in direct combat to believe this was the correct course. In war,getting killed or wounded requiresnospecial talent. It’swell documented that manywomen died alongside men from IED explosions, which isn’tthe way we historically viewed combat,the definition of which hasbeen expanded to include almost anykind of engagement. But this definition-tweaking was apolitical move that made women into heroes for dying or surviving“in combat.” Until 2012, combat had aspecific meaning —todirectly engage the enemy up close and personal Can some women do it?Absolutely Are women as brave as men?You bet.All things being physically equal, Hegseth said, his militarywill welcomewomen into battle. Meanwhile, acertain level of fitness will be required for all personnel, including Hegseth’s “fat generals” waddling through Pentagon corridors. They,like everyone else, will be required to pass aphysical training test twice ayear.And all troops, he says, will have to meet the same male physical fitness. First off, fat generals are probably a bit olderand,therefore, might not be in stellar shape. To require afitness test
seems insulting even if the Pentagon does takeage intoaccount. Adeskbound general doesn’tneed to perform 50 pullups and 100 pushups in less than 10 minutes. If Hegsethcan toughen our forces while advancing artificial intelligence and other technologies to stay ahead of China’smilitary expansion, then he will have performed his job well. Americans should be reassured by his intent even if they’re also annoyed by his selfrighteous bravado. Critics who say Hegseth could have delivered his directives in an email are missing thepoint of theater —audience. He wanted the world to hear about his new,improved “screw up and find out” military machine. But like much propaganda, themessage was double-edged. The world didn’t just see atough-talking hombre on the stage; they saw weakness—America’s highest-ranking militaryofficers ridiculed and minimized by astrutting, self-involved television personality Speaking of which: If optics are what we’re after,shouldn’tthe very top brass —Donald Trump—beheld to thesame standards as the officers and troops he commands? Aweighty subject perhaps for another day Email KathleenParker at kathleenparker@washpost.com.
Many N.Y. minutesbeforeanew mayor
Right before New York’sDemocratic mayoral primary, political seers declared with enormous confidence that Andrew Cuomo would easily beat Democratic SocialistZohran Mamdani. They were wrong. Now,about amonth before the general election, whereCuomo is running as an independent, the same blowhards are barking that Mamdani has it all butin the bag. They may be wrong again
Froma Harrop
It was believedthat Mayor Eric Adams had splitthe non-Mamdani votes with Cuomo and that if heleft therace, Cuomo’spoll numbers would rise. A handful of hours after Adams did drop out, CNN’s“Chief Data Analyst”Harry Enten was bellowing that themayor’s departure provedto be “a giant dud” for Cuomo, becausehis numbers improved just slightly
Many Adams supporters probably didn’teven know then that their candidate had bowed out. This was abeautiful fall Sunday.Enten said he based his conclusion on “poll after poll” without naming the polls. Nor did he say when the polls were taken.
It’strue that the general election is only about amonth away.It’salso true that alot can happen in aNew York minute. The Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa,still holds agood piece of the electorate. Almost everyone, many Repub-
licans included, want him to drop out to give Cuomo abetter shot. Despitehis fiery vows to stay in the race, Sliwamight still do the right thingand end his campaign. GiveMamdani this: He is a master politician. He’s centered hiscampaign on makingNew York more affordable at atime whenthe cost of housing keeps rising.
But aNew York mayor cannot unilaterally impose arent freeze. And any rentfreeze would affect only rentstabilized apartments, afraction of the apartments. Interviewers keep asking Mamdani that if he’selected, would he moderate his views. He answers that he will erect a“big tent”and listen toeveryone. That’sthe clever way of not answering the question. The Cuomoside is now running ads. They note that Mamdani has no experience runninganything. He’s held payingjobsfor all of three years and now imagines he can oversee thecity’s$104 billion budget. Mamdaniisnow trying to erase his 2020 outrageous and childish call to “defund” and“dismantle” the New York City Police Department. But just three years ago, StateAssemblyman Mamdani voted to cut 1,300 officers from a“racist” NYPD. It happensthat lower-income New Yorkers of color tend to live in neighborhoods highly reliant on police for
protection. That can explain why Black voters preferred Cuomointhe primary,asdid voters in the Bronx. Andother constituencies are unlikely to go his way Most Jews do not like Mamdani’s dancing around his “intifada” talk or his vow to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits New York. Jews may have mixed feelings about the Israeli leader but want to know why only him? They have their guesses. About 12% of city residents are Jewish.
For Italians, about 6% of the population,there’sthe picture of Mamdani giving themiddle finger to astatueof Christopher Columbus, alongside a tweet demanding, “Take it down.” Columbus remains ahero to many Italian Americans.
AndWhites of all backgrounds may not appreciateMamdani’spromiseto raise taxes on richer,“whiter”neighborhoods.
The temperature on primary day was atorrid 105 degrees.Many Cuomo supporters, believing their man was a shoo-in, undoubtedly figured he would win without their venturing outside into theheat.And in theend, only 12% of all registered voters chose Mamdani.
The stakes have changed. Andthere are many more New York minutes to go before Nov.4
Froma Harrop is on X, @FromaHarrop. Email her at fharrop@gmail.com.
President Donald Trump has openly boasted about wielding the full power of the federal government to punish his enemies, from universities and foundations to law firms and media companies. But when he personally engineered the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey on twocounts of lying to Congress, his vindictiveness reached awhole new level of persistence and peril. His clear goal is to annihilate individuals, not just intimidate institutions, and his pursuit of Comey is only the beginning of an iniquitous inquisition to burn heretics at aproverbial stake. “There will be others. Imean, they’re corrupt,” Trump told reporters. “You can’tlet this go on.”
The Comey indictment, said aNew York Timeseditorial, marks “a dark new stage in President Trump’seffort to turn federal law enforcement into apersonal tool of oppression and vengeance. He is undermining acore promise of the American justice system: the fair and equal enforcement of the law.”
“Weare realizing now that our justice system really relies on those who are entrusted with power exercising that power in good faith,” Liz Oyer,aformer Justice Department attorney who was fired by Trump, told the Washington Post. “That has worked throughout our history, but it is no longer working because we have an elected leader who has intentionally decimated all of the safeguards within the system, has loaded the department with people who are blindly loyal to him and is willing to tear down the whole system to get what he wants, which is revenge against his enemies.”
The last time apresident tried to trash “all of the safeguards within the system” is known as Watergate, one of the ugliest chapters in our nation’shistory —and we know what happened to Richard Nixon as aresult.
After Watergate’sprofound shock to the judicial system, anew framework and understanding was established. Yes, the attorney general and the FBI director serve at the president’s pleasure. But they also serve asecond master: the rule of law.They must preserve acritical measure of independence from partisan interests. That independence has been bolstered by hundreds of career professionals who serve all administrations and remain loyal to legal principles and processes.
During Trump’sfirst term, his attorneys general occasionally resisted his pressures for total loyalty.Jeff Sessions drove Trump crazy by recusing himself from an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and was eventually fired. Bill Barr pointedly contradicted Trump’sclaim that the 2020 election had been stolen and was forced from office. In his second term, however,Trump has systematically dismantled all of those guardrails. The president has fired more than 40 career prosecutors, reports the Post, “making the dismissaloffederal attorneys —generally amove reserved for cases of misconduct —almost commonplace.”
Justice Connection, an advocacy group for former Justice Department employees, estimates that in all, more than 200 career professionals have been terminated. Moreover,adds the Post, “The firings account for only asmall portion of the departures from the Justice Department, where many more have resigned or retired after they were demoted or moved into different jobs, according to employees and formeremployees.”
Trump chose Pam Bondi for attorney general. Bondi, aformer chief lawyer in Florida, has totally abandoned any hint of independence, as the vendetta against Comey graphically demonstrates.
The United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, Erik Siebert, a15-year career professional, told the administration that the cases against Comey and other Trump enemies were not strong enough to prosecute. Enraged, Trump forced out Siebert and posted this message on social media, directed at Bondi, “We can’tdelay any longer,it’skilling our reputation and credibility.They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”
Siebert was replaced by Lindsay Halligan, a White House operative with no experience as a prosecutor
Her case was so weakthat the grand jury rejected one of three proposed counts and barely approved the other twocharges.
“By using the flimsiest pretexts to direct the prosecution of his perceived enemies,” warned the Times, Trump “is tearing at the basic notions of fairness that hold the country together
Misusing the power to imprison people is uniquely chilling in afree society.Our country has entered agrave new period of injustice.”
But Trump’sreign of “injustice” is igniting an insurrection, at least in some quarters. In vowing to fight the charges against him, Comey declared, “Wewill not live on our knees, and you shouldn’teither.”
Steven Roberts can be contacted by email at stevecokie@gmail.com
Steve Roberts
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO
EVAN VUCCI
BY ANTHONY McAULEY Staff writer
TwoofNew Orleans’most recognizable skyscrapers the Hancock Whitney Center and 400 Poydras Street—are now in default on their debt, deepeninguncertaintyover the city’sfragile downtown office market.
The dual defaults come as Shell Oil prepares to vacate its longtime officesin the Hancock WhitneyCenter and is expected to relocate to anew River District headquarters in early 2027 —amove that wouldfurther strain amarket still struggling to regain footing after years of decline.
Bothbuildings areowned by Hertz Investment Group, the Los Angeles-based firm that for nearly two decades was adominant presence in New Orleans’skyline. Now, both properties are under the control of “special servicers,”third-party firms
thatstepinand take control of properties when commercial mortgage-backed securities loansbecome distressed. Once aloanbecomes delinquent, the servicerassumes control from theborrower collecting rents, negotiating withlenders and determining whether to restructure, sellorforeclose. The shift effectively removes Hertz from day-to-day control of two of itssignature properties. Hertzdeclined to comment.
Hancock WhitneyCenter and 400Poydrasare both in maturity default —meaningHertz failed to repay the principal when the loans came due. Tenant income from thebuildings, which, in 2024, were nearly 82% and 89% leased, respectively, still covers interest andoperations.But each will need fresh equity from whoever assumes ownership.
Christopher Dozier,managing partner at Union Advisory Group, acommercial debt consultancy, said thefuture of the 1.2 million-squarefoot HancockWhitneyCenter is especially uncertain because it willlose Shell— which accountsfor roughly one-third of its tenant base
—within about ayear.The building alsosuffersfrom “functional obsolescence” thatwill be costly to address, he said. Completed in 1972 and rising 51 stories,itremains Louisiana’stallest building. Designed by Bruce Graham of Skidmore, Owings &Merrill —the architect behind Chicago’sWillis Tower—it became amodernistlandmark and asymbolofthe city’soil-boom ambitions. Thatsymbolnow faces a reckoning. The tower’s$108 million mortgage went into default in July,justasShell finalized plans for itsrelocation to asmaller,subsidized headquartersinthe new Shell Plaza. Shell’sdeparture from roughly 330,000 square feet of space will leave asignificant gapinadowntown alreadyoversupplied with emptyoffices. Afew monthslater,the 32-story400 Poydras Street also wentinto default. Together,the twotowershighlight the mounting distress in New Orleans’ office market, where leasing activity remains sluggish and refinancing optionshaveevaporated amid rising interestrates and lender caution.
Office building defaults have becomeincreasingly prevalent across the United States. However,properties financed throughcommercial mortgage-backedsecurities havebeen disproportionately affected. According to Trepp, which tracks real estatefinancing, the overall CMBS delinquency rate reached arecord high of 7.29% in August,marking the sixth consecutive month of increases. Notably,the office sector experienced a significant surge,withits delinquencyrate climbing to an all-time high of 11.66% The unraveling marks a stark turn for Hertz Investment Group, once known for betting on overlooked downtowns.Founder Judah Hertz built his real estateempire in the late 20th centuryby buyingunfashionable towers in secondary cities,wagering that tenants would eventually return to central business districts andrents would rise.For many years, thatstrategy succeeded, and Hertz became amajor owner of urban office space from PittsburghtoNew Orleans
But Judah Hertz’sdeath in 2021 left the company in thehandsofhis son, Wil-
liam “Zev” Hertz, just as the pandemic was transforming office demand. What began as arefinancing squeeze hasevolvedintoasystemic breakdown of the firm’sportfolio, with New Orleans as one of the mostvisible flashpoints. Eighteen months ago, brokers warned of a$400 million wave of maturing office debt threatening to upend the city’smarket. Five of the eight towerstiedtocollateralized mortgage-backed loans were ownedbyHertz, with maturities stacked between late 2024 and mid2026. The first to fail was the EnergyCentre at 1100 Poydras St., whose $56.5 million loan went delinquent in late 2023 and ended in foreclosure. By 2025, the defaults had spread. In addition to the two New Orleans towers, Hertz properties in Pittsburgh, Richmond, and Cleveland have gone delinquent, with several already in foreclosure or awaiting sale. In December2024, bondholders in the British Virgin Islands forced the liquidation of portions of Hertz’sU.S.portfolio, accelerating the firm’s decline.
Judgetosseslawsuit to make AG defend voting map
Black lawmakers filedinstate districtcourt
BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer
Ajudge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus seeking to compel Attorney General Liz Murrill to defend theconstitutionality of the state’scurrent congressional map, which has two majority-
ACLU
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Also known as Camp 57, the facility is insideawing of Angolathat has been out of use since 2016 andwas previously used to punish inmates who broke the rules by placing them in solitary confinement.
It is one of aseries of highprofile detention centers openedsince the Trump administration began its campaign to detain and deport immigrantsinrecord numbers. Others include “Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida and the “Cornhusker Clink” in Nebraska.
“Opening Angola to immigrants who have already servedtheir time for crimes previously committed is unprecedented and mustbe rectified,” the lawsuit says.
The ACLU filed its lawsuit on behalf of Oscar Hernandez Amaya, who came to the United States from Honduras in 2005,according to the court record.
Black districts. The Black Caucus last month askedthe 19th Judicial DistrictCourt to either requireMurrill to defend as constitutional the state law that created the current congressional map or to take no position when her solicitor general, Ben Aguiñaga,goes before the U.S. Supreme Courtnextweek for oral arguments.
Murrill argued thatthe legislators had neither alegal basis nor standing tosue under the law they had cited, a
stance the judge agreed with.
“This wasthe proper result,” Murrill saidinastatement about Judge Eboni Johnson Rose’sruling. “Our focus is on arguments in the United States SupremeCourt and addressing the flawsin thecourt’s jurisprudence that deprives theLegislature of their constitutional duty over drawing maps.”
Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus Chair stateRep. Edmond Jordan, the Baton Rouge Democrat whofiled the lawsuit, did not immedi-
atelyrespond to arequest for comment Tuesday
The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear asecond round of oral arguments on Oct. 15 in the case Louisiana v. Callais.The high court’seventual decision couldalter thefederal Voting Rightsof1965, which for decades has fueled court rulings requiring states with ahistory of disenfranchising Black voters to draw maps with majority-Black voting districts.
This summer,the justices
The federal government is using the ‘Louisiana Lockup’ at the
Angola to illegally punish immigrants twice forthe same offense, the
Union claimed Mondayinalawsuit againstPresidentDonald J.
In 2018, Amaya was convicted of attempted aggravatedassaultand illegal possession of aweapon,the lawsuit says. He served approximately two years out of a41/2-yearsentenceand was released on good time credits, it says.
ICE took himinto custody in 2023, but he fought against his removal, thelawsuit says. In March,a judge blocked his deportation to Hondurasunder the Convention AgainstTorture, which prevents the U.S. from returning people to countries if
theymay be tortured there, it says. Six months have passed, and becausethe government has tried and failed to deport Amaya to adifferent country,heshould be released immediately, accordingto the lawsuit.
asked the parties involved in the case —including the state of Louisiana, agroup of White voters and agroup of Black voters —toaddress whether theVoting Rights Act is constitutional. Murrill previously argued the state’scongressional map is constitutional. But in response to the Supreme Court’srequestthis summer shechanged herstanceand nowsaysthatusing race as afactor in drawing voting maps violates the U.S.Constitution.
It also asks the court to declarethe useofCamp57to detain immigrants unconstitutional.
In acourt filing,Amaya saysthe facility was not in fit conditiontohouse immigrants, as the shower water was black when he arrived. He also claimed that detainees are receiving yellowish andfoul-tasting drinking water andthat Camp 57 is full of mold.
ICE officials previously denied claims that conditions are inhumane at the facility
When ICEfirst opened Camp 57, theagencyreleased alist of 51 immigrants it said were detained there. They hadbeen convicted of either murder, rape or sex offensesagainst children, according to the agency
But sincethen, officials have released no information about who is being housed there. The facility hasabout 200detainees,according to the lawsuit.
Camp57isnamed after Landry,the 57th governor of Louisiana.
Continued from page1B
appreciated his culture, as Snoop Dogg’sfamily in Louisiana and Mississippi also “tussles with alligators and snakes.” In hisintroductionvideo, Gaspard saidthat those activities wereasignificantpart of his life growing up in Cow Island in south Vermilion Parish. Crooner Michael Bublé also had words of praise, tellingGaspard,“you’re what people are asking for. Theywantauthenticity.”
Gaspard took amoment to make his coach selection, overwhelmed at the effusive jockeying forhis voice. In the end, Gaspard selected IrishsingerNiall Horan as his coach, who rose to prominence as a member of the U.K. boy band One Direction.
Niall loved hearing Gaspard sing in another language, saying that it gave hisperformance an exceptional quality
“You could sing ‘bah bah black sheep’and it would sound good,” said the star “One of the best auditions I’ve ever seen or heard on this showinthreeseasons.” Horan’ssingers have previously won “The Voice”inseasons 23 and 24.
Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.
HISTORIC
Continued from page1B
The building, whichis on theNational Register of Historic Places, had been acenterpiece of the Lafayettediningscene since1981, when Poncho Veron, Charlie Goodson and Richard Compton opened the restaurant as away to pay tribute to the historic building. It dates back to at least 1835 and has been utilized as an inn, aheadquarters andinfirmary forUnion soldiers during the Civil War, ahome forwellknownAcadiana families, anursery,anantique store, ahair salon and abar called Judge Roy Bean’s.
Email Adam Daigle at adaigle@theadvocate. com.
STAFF FILEPHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
Louisiana State Penitentiaryat
American Civil Liberties
Trump’sadministration.
SPORTS
Winfield’shealthmakes UL’s prep tricky
Kevin Foote
What atricky situation the UL Ragin’ Cajunsfind themselvesincomingoff of abye week and facing possibly the topteam in theSun Belt on the road.James Madison also is oneofthe top defensive teams. In the Cajuns’ last outing, the dramatic relief performance of quarterback Lunch Winfield —who led sixconsecutive scoring drives in a54-51 double-overtimewin over Marshall —restored some hope for the season. Winfield has avery different skill set than Daniel Beale,
whom he replaced. The idea after theMarshall win was the UL coaching staff would work with its new starting quarterback to emphasize plays that accentuate Winfield’sdualthreat abilities.
Theproblem is, Winfield suffered an ankle injury during theMarshall game and thetop priority has been gettinghim healthyenough to even play in the 11 a.m. Saturday game (ESPN2) in Harrisonburg,
Virginia. When asked about strategically building on Winfield’s abilities as the new starting quarterback, UL coach Michael Desormeaux clearly was concerned about how it has played out since theMarshall game.
“Yeah, you always try to play off of your player’s strengths, but thereality is he’sstill pretty limited in practice and has been,” Desormeaux said of Winfield. “So not to get too much into that before we need to, but this isn’t as simple as …he
was banged up pretty good at theend of that game.”
In aperfect world, all the practices since the Marshall gamewould have centered around trying to perfect anew set of plays James Madison hasn’tseen on film.Even better,the Dukes had to play last week on the road and needed afourth-quarter score to beat Georgia State 14-7.
Desormeaux said Winfield is trending in the right direction, hinting that it’sreasonable to believe he’ll start Saturday’s
ä See FOOTE, page 3C
BRIGHT SIDE
STAFF FILEPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
South Carolina defensiveback O’Donnell Fortune tripsupLSU running back Caden Durham in thefourth quarteronSept. 14, 2024,atWilliams-BriceStadiuminColumbia, S.C. The teams meet again Saturdaynight in TigerStadium.
LSUremains in SEC, national chaseamidother powerprograms’ faulty starts
Every LSU loss, likethe Tigers’ 24-19 defeat two Saturdaysago at Ole Miss, casts apall over Tigertown. But it’samere early-morninghaze compared to the cloudshangingover Austin, Texas; State College, Pennsylvania; and Clemson, South Carolina, right now The preseason Associated Press Top 10 is in the shredder.Preseason No.1 Texas is not even in theTop 25 after being stunned 29-21 at FloridaonSaturday.Neither is preseason No. 2Penn Stateafter an even more stunning 4237 loss at previously winlessUCLA, by far the worst loss for any ranked team
BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer
Over the first month of the season, the Saints have madestrides on offense. In Sunday’swin over the New York Giants, quarterback Spencer Rattler finally got an explosive play to detonate when he hit Rashid Shaheed foran87-yard touchdown. The week before that sawthe run game find some much-needed consistency
The offense is still farfrom an elite unit, but the improvements matter to coach KellenMoore as he tries to turn around the franchise.
The next step? The Saints have to start converting in the red zone.
TheSaintswent0for 4ontouchdowns insidethe opposing 20 against the Giants, bringing NewOrleans’ season total to 7of17— a lowly 41.2%. Only three teamsrank worse in the red zone than the Saints this season: the Los Angeles Chargers (38.5%), theLas Vegas Raiders (35.7%) and the Giants (31.6%). The struggles in the area areeven more frustrating because the Saints have done a solid job of sustaining long drives. They have strung together aleague-high 14 drives of at least 10 plays. But of those 14, the Saints have scored only six touchdowns. The team’stouchdownrate on those 10-plus playdrives ranks exactly league average at 42.9%. Against theGiants, theSaintshad three drives of 10 plays or more. They settled for field goals on all three, two of which entered the red zone.
“Ultimately,you need to score touchdowns downthere,” Moore said.
Scott Rabalais
this season. Andpreseason No. 4Clemson? LSU helpedgrease itsskid out of the polls with a17-10 defeat to start the year Combiningthe records of the Longhorns,NittanyLions and Tigers (orangeversion), you get avery mediocre 8-7.
Preseason No. 6Notre Dame started 0-2 and is still ranked only because of its strenuous early strength of schedule —the Irish’stwo losses were to current top-five residents Miami and Texas A&M —followed by athreegamewinning streak, but its marginfor-error card is all used up. If it’schaos you crave, you’ve come to theright sport. Against that backdrop, LSU’s4-1 record and No. 11 national ranking looks rosy With the2025 campaign nearing the clubhouse turn for home this week,
ä See RABALAIS, page 3C
Turnoversnot turningintopointsfor LSU
Tigers have scored just 13 points off of eighttakeaways
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
When the ball landed in PJ Woodland’shands, the game shouldhave flipped on adime. LSU trailed Ole Miss by a touchdown in the third quarter when the sophomore cornerback snatched his first career interception. LSU was in position to turn thegame in itsfavor as Woodland returned the
throw 31 yards intothe Rebels’ side of the field. But the Tigerscouldn’tfully capitalizeonquarterback TrinidadChambliss’ mistake. LSU gainedjust 16yards on five playsand settled for a48-yard field goal
The kick was good, but an opportunityfor agame-turning touchdown failed.LSU eventually lost 24-19 in aperformance that raised more questions than answers aboutits offense. Amongthose questions is the Tigers’ inability to capitalizeon turnovers. “I think your point is well taken; those (turnovers) have
turned intofield goals. We need to turn those into touchdowns,” coach BrianKelly said Monday. “I don’tknowthatthey’ve beenempty possessions, but theyhaven’tbeen impactful possessions for us offensively.”
LSU has seven interceptions and one fumble recovery through five games, but the Tigers have only 13 points off of those turnovers. Sophomore safety Dashawn Spears’ pick-six against Floridaisthe only time LSU found the end zoneasa result of aturnover this season. Besides the Woodland interception against Ole Miss, the only other time the offense
scored off aturnover was against Florida when senior Damian Ramos hit a45-yard field goal after senior safety AJ Haulcy grabbed LSU’ssecond interception of the night. The 10 pointsLSU scored on turnovers proved to be the difference in its win over Florida. Still, LSU won by only 10 despiteforcing five interceptions and turning the ball over once, whichcould be seen as abig red flag.
“This is about playing more consistent footballoffensively for fourquarters and then
Through five games,the red-zoneproblems could be boiled down to amix of accuracy issues andcurious play-calling. While Rattler’s completion percentage hasimproved in hissecond season —from 57% to 67% the quarterback isn’thitting his targets at nearly the samerate when the space is often condensed inside the red zone. Rattler’s48% completion rate (12 of 25) ranks sixth-to-last among 33 qualified passers. But Moore isn’tfree of blame, and the firstyear coach said he needed to be better.Moore pointedtothe team’slackofefficiency on first down, saying the Saints have to improve at running the ball in those scenarios.
As aplay-caller,Moore also has made somequestionable decisions in the red zone. Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4, his choice to run the Philly Special trick play led to aChris Olave interception. Then on Sunday,the Saints bypassed achance to take a shot at theend zone with 11 seconds left in the first half and instead threw ashort pass that resulted in a1-yard loss. Asked about
ä Patriots at Saints. NOON SUNDAy, CBS
STAFFPHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler prepares to pass while being pressured by the New york Giants defense during the first halfon Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.
STAFFPHOTO By BRAD KEMP UL quarterback LunchWinfield is recuperating from an ankle injury he suffered against Marshallon Sept. 27.
On TV
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
6:30 p.m. Missouri St. at MTSU ESPN2
7p.m. Liberty at UTEP CBSSN COLLEGE GOLF
3:30 p.m. NB3 Collegiate: MatchPlayGolf WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
6p.m. NC State at Wake ForestACCN
6p.m. Kentucky at TexasA&M SECN
7p.m. UCLA at Minnesota BTN
10 p.m.PGA: Baycurrent ClassicGolf MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
2:05 p.m. A.L.:Seattle at Detroit FS1
4:05 p.m. N.L.: Milwaukee at ChicagoCubsTBS
6:05 p.m. A.L.:Toronto at N.y.yankees*FS1
8:05 p.m. N.L. :Philadelphia at Dodgers TBS NBA PRESEASON
MILWAUKEE Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Quinn Priester hasexperienced postseason baseball at Wrigley Field before, only froma much different perspective than the one he’sabout to have.
Priester grew up in theChicago area and was in Wrigley Field’s stands for Game 5ofthe 2016 World Series. The 25-year-old right-hander will be backatWrigley on Wednesday as he continues his breakthrough season by trying to pitch the Brewers into the NL Championship Series “I was in the last row in the nosebleeds,” Priester said aboutthat 2016 experience. “My mom and I had our backs against the chainlink fence up there drinking hot chocolate because it waslate OctoberinChicago anditwas freezing.”
Priester watched the Cubs beat Cleveland 3-2 that night to begin their rally from a3-1 series deficit thatearnedthemtheir first World Series title since 1908.
Now he wants to make sure the Cubsdon’tstart asimilar comeback. Milwaukee carries a2-0 lead into Game 3ofthisbest-of-5 NL Division Series. This start will mark Priester’s postseason debut. JamesonTaillon is starting for the Cubs.
Priester went 13-3 with a3.32 ERAduring the regular season whilewinning 12 straight decisions at one point. According to Sportradar,that was the longest streak within asingle year by any pitcher since Gerrit Cole won 16 consecutive decisions for Houstonin2019
Untilthe Cincinnati Reds beat Priester 3-1 on Sept. 26, the Brewers had won 19 straight gamesin which Priester had pitched. That stretch included 16 starts and three appearances in which he had followed an opener “He’sbeen sensationalfor us,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. The Brewers needed starting pitching duetomultipleinjuries
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MORRy GASH Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Quinn Priester throws during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Sept.18inMilwaukee.
when they acquired Priester on April7 from theBoston RedSox for minorleagueoutfielder Yophery Rodriguez, the 33rd pick in the 2024 draft,and minor league pitcherJohnHolobetz
Priester,the 18th overall selectioninthe 2018draft, had a6-9 record and6.23ERA in 21 career appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Red Sox at the timeof the trade
“I had followed him for years,” Brewerspresident of baseball operationsMatt Arnold said. “Obviously when guys come up to the big leagues, especiallyaspitchers, theydon’talways have success immediately,but we thought there were somereally goodingredients there.”
Priester quicklywarmed up to the idea of pitching in Milwaukee.
“I was really surprised,” Priester said.“Ifelt likeIwas kind of in the mix for the rotation in Boston. I
certainly felt like Ihad ashot at it
When Idid get traded, Iwas super excited forthe opportunity.Being close to home was super exciting for me andmyfiancée, being able to seefamily.And obviously,being in Pittsburgh, every year, you’d see how well the Brewers seemed to play.” Priester wasn’tasfamiliar at the timewiththe Brewers’reputation for getting thebestout of pitchers who hadn’tencounteredmuch successbefore arrivinginMilwaukee. He’ddevelop into the latestexample. The turning point came against the team he faces Wednesday Priester gave up sevenruns over 41/3 innings in a10-0 losstothe Cubs on May2,raising his ERA to 5.79. That immediately followed astart in which he allowed five runs over fiveinnings in a6-5 loss at St.Louis. “Thatwas thekind of themoment when Ifeltthings needed to
ä Brewers at Cubs. 4:08 P.M.WEDNESDAy,TBS
change,” Priester said. “What Iwas doing, it’snot like Iwasn’t trying, but what Iwas trying just wasn’t working. And so Istartedtowrite somethings down every day, came in withsome goals, talked to all of ourguys, started to go about the lineups alittle bit differently.”
Priester pitched 24 more times the rest of theregularseason and allowed more thanthreeruns in just twoofthose appearances.
“The Cubs blistered this guy,and he wanted to continue pitching andhis competitive nature came out, and actually the last couple innings of that outing he was pretty darned effective,” Murphy said. “I think that failure, if youwill, for him,like, launched him into open ears, ‘OK, howdoIfigure this out?’
And we got the best version of him because of his competitive nature, and we got the best version of him going forward, andit’sbeen miraculous.”
Priester added acutter this year that he nowthrows about20% of the time to complement his sinker and slider, while he abandoned his four-seam fastball.
Priester averages less than one strikeout perinning, but he hasa knack for inducing ground balls andweakcontact whileworking quickly.Heunderstands the raucous atmosphere he’sgoing to encounter Wednesday.When Priester was in the stands forthat 2016 WorldSeries game,Priester recalled how “Kris Bryant hit a homer and Ithought the stadium was going to collapse.”
But he also entersthis game with the confidence that comes from spending the last fewmonths livinguptoall theexpectationsthat accompanied his draft selection.
“I think it wasjust kind of aticking time bomb waiting for ayear like this to happen for him,” Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick said. “I’m superhappywegot him when we did because Ijust kind of knew it was coming forhim.”
Halladay’s sons honorhis legacy 15 yearslater
BY DANGELSTON AP sportswriter
PHILADELPHIA Braden Halladay
stood on the field to throw afirst pitch at the same ballpark where Roy Halladaythrew aplayoff nohitterand wondered how the moment never seemed too bigfor his father Roy Halladay already had thrown aperfect game for the Phillies in 2010,about as rare a feat apitcher can accomplish in baseball.Halladay pitched himself into baseball history later that October with aplayoff no-hitter, the second ever in baseballand a moment that foreverstamped an already great pitcherasabona fide Hall of Famer
“Tough to be in front of that many people,” Braden Halladay said. “Makes me reallythink about how incredible it is that my dad not only did it in the regular season but in the postseason.How well he did it, it’sreally special to think about for me.”
Braden Halladay and his brother,Ryan, both had troves of special memories to share about their father eight years after hedied in aplane crash at the age of 40.
The Halladay brothers were greeted with aroaring ovation moments after avideotribute aired on the 15-year anniversary of thePhillies ace’sOct.6,2010, no-hitter against Cincinnati.
There was Halladay again, wrapped in abig bear hug with catcher Carlos Ruiz after the final out. Affectionately known as “Chooch,” Ruiz returned on Mondaynight to catchthe first pitch before the Phillies losttothe Dodgers.
“Thosemoments are in your mind, in your heart,” Ruiz said through an interpreter.“It was an honor to be apart of sucha great
Braden Halladay, left, accompanied by his brother Ryan Halladay, throws aceremonially first pitch to former Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz, marking the 15th anniversaryoftheir father RoyHalladay’s postseason no-hitter,ahead of Game 2between the Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers on MondayinPhiladelphia.
moment.Being here today and being able to catch for his sonisa greathonor.”
Braden Halladayhoped to stick around the big leagues, though not quite asthe dominant ace of his era like dad. He pitched at Penn State and earned amaster’sdegree before he decidedtopursue hisdream of afront-office job —a careerpathhatched from growing up around the Phillies’ brain trust inside Citizens BankPark.
“I alwayswantedtobeaMajor League Baseball player.That’s every kid’sdream,” Braden said.
“But Iwas super obsessed with the front officeand howthe front office works. Ithink anybody who was here and knew me can second that. Even as a10-year-old, Iwas just completely enamored by it.”
Braden worked this pastspring trainingwith thePhillies’ SingleAteam inClearwater beforehe landed work as adata apprentice
with theTexas Rangers. With the year over,Braden is exploring his options for his next steps in baseball. “I’m excited to not onlyfollow in my dad’sfootstepsbut make my own mark on the game, as well, and have my own career,” he said.
RoyHalladay was already aCy Young Award winner,a20-game winner and aworkhorse who struck out253 batters in 2003 for theToronto Blue Jays when he came to Philadelphia.
Halladay never really sniffed the playoffs in Toronto and knew he couldfind thatpostseasonsuccess he craved in Philly when he was traded to thePhillies ahead of the2010season. ThePhillieshad won three straightNLEast titles, twopennantsand the 2008 World Series when the 6-foot-6 righthanderarrived poised to winthem another title. Halladay hada first season to
Beckham accepts 6-game suspension after failed test
Free agent WR Odell Beckham Jr.accepted asix-game suspension from the NFLafter he reportedly faileda performance-enhancing drug test last year,hesaidonthe Pivot podcast Tuesday Beckham will not be eligible to play until Week 12, the NFL told The Associated Press. Beckham, 32, said on the podcast he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs. He played nine games with the Miami Dolphins last season, catching nine passes for55yards,both of which were career-lows by awide margin. Despitethe news,the 10-year NFLveteran said he hopestocontinue his career this season.Beckham, afirst-round pickinthe 2014 draft, posted 1,000-yard seasons four of his first five years in the league with the NewYork Giants.
Gardner-Johnson
signed to Ravens practicesquad
The Baltimore Ravens signed safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the practice squad Tuesday,two weeks after he was cutbythe Houston Texans. Baltimore (1-4) is desperate for help on defense after allowing 177 points through five games.
Safety Kyle Hamilton missed last weekend’sloss to the Texans, and the Ravens also were without linebacker Roquan Smith.
Safety Ar’Darius Washington tore an Achilles tendon in the offseason and defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike is outfor the season because of aneck issue. The Texans released the27-year-old Gardner-Johnsonafter only three games with the team. They had acquired him from Philadelphia in an offseason trade. He had six interceptions last season for the Eagles.
CowboysownerJones fined
$250K for obscene gesture
The NFL said Tuesday it has finedJerry Jones $250,000 for an obscene gesture toward fans at MetLife Stadium that the Dallas owner said was “inadvertent” and intendedfor fans of the Cowboys, not the NewYork Jets. The incident camelate in Dallas’ 37-22 victory on Sunday.Jones said on his radio show Tuesday he intendedtoflasha “thumbs up”for celebrating Cowboys fans.Jones is considering an appeal, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said. Jones was caught on avideo that went viralsmiling widely as he pointed toward fans before briefly flashing the gesture. Jones’ gesture camesoon afterDak Prescott’sfourth touchdown pass gave the Cowboys a37-14 lead with 4:31 leftinthe game.
Giants
QB
Dartsays
he’ll play againstEagles
remember,going 21-10 with the perfect game on May 29, 2010, in Miami, the no-hitter in Game 1 of the NL Division Series against theRedsand another Cy Young Award.
Yes, theno-hitter came in his postseason debut.
The game marked 10-year-old Braden’sfirst playoffgame, too.
Braden’shighlight from that game was makingthe jumbotron that night.Ryan Halladay was abouttocelebrate abirthday and wastoo young to really understand the gravity of themoment. Plus,hehad something more important to worry aboutthanhis dadpitching awhale of agame —abirthdaytrip to the aquarium was on-deck.
“That’sall Icouldthink about,” Ryan said. “I didn’tcare much about anything else at the time.”
The brothers understandand appreciate now all their dad accomplished in baseball. Halladay would spend only four of his 16 seasons in Philadelphia. Halladay never did win that World Series with the Philliesbut was 55-29 with a3.25 ERA with them before he retired after the 2013 season when right shoulder trouble ended his career.The Phillies retired hisNo. 34 andinducted him into their version of the Hall of Fame.
For one morenightinPhiladelphia, the brothers got to share in the love from thePhilliesfans theyshowered on their father Bradennoted standing so close to themound “almost feels like I’m back here with him.”
“It’salways nice to come back andrevisit everything,”hesaid, “I thinkthat any time Iget to be around it, it helps me stayreally close to my dad.”
Jaxson Darthas been playing through ahamstring injury since making and winning his first NFL start late last month. He does not plan to let it keep him off the field. The rookie quarterback brushed off any concern about the sore hamstring Tuesdayand insisted he’llplayfor the New York Giants on Thursday night when they host reigningSuper Bowlchampion Philadelphia.Afterbeing listedasa limited participant on the practice report Monday,Dart was estimated to be full go Tuesday,though the Giants did only what coach Brian Daboll calls a“jog-through.” Dart missed time on Sept. 28 against the Los Angeles Chargers while being evaluated for aconcussion but played the entire gamethis past weekend at New Orleans.
Aftera 17-year hiatus, Skins Game to make return
The return of the Skins Game shows how muchhas changed in 17 years. The four players are among the top six in the world, it’smoving from the California desert to South Floridaand it will be broadcaston PrimeVideo.
The Skins Game to be played on the Friday after Thanksgiving will feature Ryder Cup star and FedEx Cup champion Tommy Fleetwood, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley,Justin Thomas and XanderSchauffele.Itwill be held at Panther National, anew course in Florida that opened two years ago andwas designedbyThomas and Jack Nicklaus.
Bradley,Schauffele and Thomas all live in the area. The Skins Game, which beganin1983 with some of golf’s biggest stars, was last played in 2008 and won by K.J.Choi.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATT ROURKE
we have what we thoughtwewould have in the Southeastern Conferenceand across college football at large: Ahuge pack of very good but not great teamsdotting thetransfer portal-fruited plain. Right now, you easily could figure 20, 25,even 30 teams having ashot at earning one of those 12 coveted golden tickets into this season’sCollege Football Playoff. Despite their loss to the Rebels, despite an anemic offense, despite how much you love or loathe LSU coach Brian Kelly,the Tigers are very much in that number.All of LSU’s goals are legitimately attainable. The road for LSU is,ofcourse, daunting. According to ESPN, the Tigers face the nation’s10thtoughest remainingschedule, starting withSaturday’shome game against South Carolina (6:45 p.m., SEC Network).
The Gamecocks were yet another team that graced the AP preseason poll (at No. 13) that now finds itself on the outside looking in.South Carolina is 3-2, astart that includes wins over aVirginiaTech team that already has fired itscoach; in-state rent-a-win South Carolina State; and aKentucky team whose coach Mark Stoops is fending off reports that he has gone to UK officials to negotiate terms of abuyout. LSU, through retention andthe transfer portal, has aroster on paper that is CFP worthy,maybeeven SEC championship game worthy That the Tigers didn’tplay like it against the Rebels is ahuge “X” in the demerit column, but it wasjust one game. LSU can still be anational player if …well, you know what “if” means, don’tyou? If the offense can starttoproduce above the 25.6
FOOTE
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game.
That’swhere the tricky part comes in. Being able to play and being able to maximize Winfield’srushing ability are two very different things.
It’snosecretthat the best thing UL does on offense is run the football. It’salsono secret that the best thing James Madison does is stop the run. The Dukes have allowed only 25 first downs rushing infive games. Opponents are averaging only 79.8 yards rushing per game. The Dukes’ identity is an aggressive defense that stuffs the run and attacks the quarterback. They have 15 sacks and 33 stops behind the line this season Winfield isn’tthe only hobbled member of the UL backfield. Leading rusher Zylan Perry (59-411, 5TDs) was described Monday as
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the latter,Moore said he had called for a“man beater,” given theGiants’ tendency to play man-to-man defense, but that New York played off coverage and matched the patterns well.
The Saints proceededto take aquick shot at theend zone on the next play,though Rattler was forcedtothrow out of bounds so that he could leave enoughtime on the clock for ashortfield goal.
Statstoknow
38.9%: The Saints have a first-down success rateof only 38.9%inthe redzone thisseason, which backs up Moore’sassertion about the lack of efficiency.New Orleans is also throwingit 61.7% of the time in the red zone.
63: Cam Jordan played 63 snaps against the Giants, his highest amount since 2023. With Chase Young still out with acalf injury,the Saints are playing their starting defensive ends at astaggering rate. Carl Granderson and Jordan have played 80.1% and 72.4% of the snaps this season, respectively.
pointsper game it hasaveraged so far —anumberthat does not include seven pointsfor Dashawn Spears’ pick-sixreturn against Florida but does include 56 points rung up on Southeastern Louisiana. Against their three Power Four opponents —Clemson, Floridaand Ole Miss —the Tigers are averaging apaltry 16.3 ppg on offense. Kelly knows the score when it comes to theTigers’ aspirations, and it doesn’t include theoffense continuingtoproduce 16.3 ppg against their remaining six SEC opponents.
“50-50” to play Thegood news there is the Cajuns are deepat running back, and Steven Blanco (18-125, 1TD) is averaging6.9 yardsa carry in limited dutythisseason. Thecoachingstaff also is high on true freshman Darrell Smith. But running theball well andrunningitwell against James Madison are two totally different things. For that matter,soiscomparingthe Marshall defensive fronttoJames Madison Winfield’shistory of playing with injuries is well-documented.InleadingLutcher tothe state championship during his senior season, Winfield suffered ahigh-ankle sprain in the first playoff gameand essentially didn’t practice the rest of theseason but played in all of the games as theTigers won thetitle. But that was histhird season as the starter andthere was very little mystery about what to do. If his health allows, Satur-
“Wejust have to play acomplete game,”Kelly said at his weekly Monday news conference. “It hasn’tshown itself yet,but it will.”
Confidence is avaluable currency,but it doesn’tbuy touchdowns and field goals. The Tigers have to break through what to datehas been afrustrating barrier against the higher echelon teams on its schedule. Andthey must do it quickly considering the competition ahead. Of thePower Fourteams LSU has played so far, only Ole Miss at No. 4iscurrently ranked. Fourofthe teams on the
day will be Winfield’sfirst collegiate start. We all saw what’spossible with Winfield’sskills against Marshall, but if he’slimited as arunner health-wise, that’s theperfect scenario for the Dukes.
As good as the rushing defense is, James Madison hasn’tfaced many running quarterbacks this season.
“Liberty, their quarterback ran it pretty well,” Desormeaux said. “I don’t want to say he’sa runner first,but he was athreat to run.”
We’ll find out Saturday whether Winfield’shealth will allow him to be arunner first.That seemstobe thebest-case scenario for theCajuns.
To expect Winfield tooperate primarily out of the pocket is ahuge ask and probably abit unrealistic.
ButWinfield always has been alarger-than-life figure on afootball field. UL fans learned that the glorious way against Marshall.
For Winfield’sfirst start
SAINTS ADD VETERAN CB DAVIS, RELEASERUNNING BACK JONES
The Saintsreshuffled parts of their rosterand practice squad Tuesday. The Saintssignedveteran cornerback MichaelDavis andreleasedrunning back VelusJones from the 53-man roster,the team announced. NewOrleans also made changes tothe practice squad, signing wide receiver Ronnie Bell and tight end Moliki Matavao while cuttingdefensive endGarrettNelson, tackle Sataoa Laumea and wide receiver Tommy Mellott. Davis’ signing comes after Isaac yiadom suffered a
32.6%:The Saints did not make lifeeasyonGiants rookie Jaxson Dart. They blitzed him on 32.6% of his dropbacks, the secondhighest rate at which New Orleans has sent an extra rusher this season. Onlyin the Seahawks game did the Saintsblitz more,but Seattle had only 21 pass attempts, and the outcome was decided early Up next It’saclash of the 2024 quarterback draft class whenRattler has to face off against DrakeMayeand the New EnglandPatriots. ThePatriots are coming off their biggest win of the Maye era, upsetting theBills in a23-20 road win on “SundayNight Football.”Maye was phenomenal in prime time, but thePatriots offenseishummingasoflate thanks to the re-emergence
hamstring injury in practice last week and missed Sunday’swin overthe New york Giants. Davis,30, spent last season with the Washington Commanders, but he spent hisfirst seven years with the Los Angeles Chargers —where he was coached by nowSaints defensivecoordinator Brandon Staleyfor threeof those seasons. Davis, 30, has started 76 of his122 games.The 6-foot-2 cornerbackstarted onlytwo of 15 contests in 2024.
MatthewParas
of All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Coming off an ACLtear,hehas hadtwo straight games of at least 100 yards. He caught 10 passes for 146 yards against his former team Sunday Defensively,the Patriots are starting to gel under new coach Mike Vrabel—the former Patriots linebacker whohad asuccessfulsixyear coaching stint in Tennessee. The run defense has been particularly imposing, holding Bills star running back James Cook to only 49 yards.
Email Matthew Parasat matt.paras@theadvocate.com
TURNOVERS
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taking advantage of your opportunities,” Kelly said, “whether it be special teams, which they have, (or) turnovers, which they have.”
There are avariety of reasonswhy LSUhas struggled to score points, letalone capitalize on turnovers.
Senior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has dealtwith atorso injury since the preseason, an ailment thathas affected his ability to push the ball downfield and maketightwindow throws.
LSU also has had trouble complementing itspassingattackwithastrong run game. TheTigers enter this weekend15th in the Southeastern Conference in yards per rush and yards rushing per game.
Tigers’ remaining schedule are in this week’sAPpoll, with three in thetop 10. According to ESPN,ifthe season were to end today the Tigers would be on thecusp of making the CFP, likely onlyboxed out of the last spot in the 12-team field because a bid has to be reserved forthe fifth highest-ranked conference champion. At least LSU has achance. Compared to where someother schools find themselves at this point of the season, that is certainly worth quite abit.
to be successful, he’ll most certainly need to get aton of help from thedefense.
The Georgia State defense supplied abit of a blueprint,limiting the big plays while holding the Dukes to 74 yards passing.
“Georgia State, Ithought, did areally good job on defense,”Desormeaux said. “They flewaround. They were very physical. Ithought theextra hatsto
the ball werehuge. They limited the explosive plays. Yougoback to even the Georgia Southern game, Georgia Southern did alot of good things on defense. The explosives killed them.”
If Winfield can be Winfield, it could makefor quite achess match Saturday Email KevinFoote at kfoote@theadvocate.com.
“Wewant to run the ball more efficiently, but Isee thesigns of that coming together,” Kelly said, “so we expect that to getbetter and better as the season goes on.”
Thedefense has done its job through five games. The Tigers looked more vulnerable on that side of the ball against Ole Miss, but overall they are third in the SEC in points allowed per game. Between forcing stops and creating turnovers, the unit hascreated ample opportunitiesfor the offense to find its footing and put points on the board. But through the first fivegames,that hasn’tbeen the case, even as the likesofWoodland keep snatching ballsout of the hands of opposing receivers.
“Wejustneed to play a complete game where our offense complements our defense andspecial teams,” Kelly said. “That hasn’t shownitself yet. It will.”
Email Koki Riley at Koki.Riley@ theadvocate.com.
STAFFPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU coachBrianKelly talks with the team before the startofthe second quarter against South Carolina on Sept.14, 2024, at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C. LSU rallied to win 36-33.
How to shop secondhand clothing sustainably and look cool doing it
BY KIKI SIDERIS Associated Press
More
is
not a license to
They warn that resale has its limits, since buying more than you need still fuels waste, and shopping online can add emissions from servers and shipping, thrifted or not.
Here’s how industry experts and fashion-forward shoppers shop secondhand sustainably — and how to find quality pieces that last while looking cool, too.
A
Online secondhand fashion
At eBay’s secondhand runway shows in New York and London, models wore pre-loved designer pieces that guests could shop live. Secondhand items like those make up 40% of the company’s sales, said Alexis Hoopes, eBay’s vice president of fashion.
“One of our big priorities is making secondhand just as good as shopping in the primary market,” she said.
ThredUp and The RealReal have reported record sales this year, signaling that the online resale market is growing quickly Live-auction apps like Whatnot are giving shoppers more platforms to bid on used clothing.
Shoppers navigating growing online options with an eye toward sustainability can still end up buying more than they need
“People who buy secondhand clothing were found to buy more clothing than people who don’t,” said Meital Peleg Mizrachi, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University who researches textile waste. “Not only that, they tend to get rid of those clothes faster than other consumers. So they’re ending up creating more textile waste because they’re buying more and using that clothing for a shorter period of time.”
Less than 20% of clothing donations to charities are resold in their stores, according to the Council for Textile Recycling. The rest is downcycled, exported — often to countries in the Global South — or ultimately discarded in landfills Online resale also generates emissions from shipping and packaging, and running massive e-commerce platforms consumes energy, all factors that need to be considered, said Alana James, a fashion professor at Northumbria University But all of that pales in
ä See FASHION, page 6C
Fest food
Want to learn how to make crawfish étouffée? Acadiana festival eats go beyond funnel cakes.
FBY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer
estivals Acadiens et Créoles is more than a celebration of southwest Louisiana music.
The festival is an opportunity to actually consume as much of the local culture as you can handle from beignets and boudin, to crawfish spinach boats, seafood jambalaya, bread pudding and other top-tier examples of Cajun and Creole festival delicacies.
Visitors won’t find funnel cakes at this gathering, which opens on Friday with local and visiting dignitaries cutting the official festival boudin link. Poupart Bakery will be there instead, slinging mountains of fluffy beignets and powdered sugar alongside Acadiana restaurants like The Cajun Table, Lagneaux’s and Bon Creole offering treats like fried alligator on a stick, stuffed catfish and the aforementioned crawfish spinach boat.
It’s best to come hungry — and festival attendees will also want to come prepared to pick up some new culinary skills of their own. Festivals Acadiens et Créoles helps people learn how to recreate traditional Louisiana dishes at home, with expert chef demonstrations taking place through the weekend at the Culture Sur La Table tent.
Bayou Food
from
Jordon Konow, the sous chef at Lafayette’s Vestal restaurant, will demonstrate his technique for making a classic crawfish étouffée.
It’s a staple dish in south Louisiana kitchens, and one that rewards the careful building of flavors using fresh ingredients
“My crawfish étouffée is really not complicated,” he said. “I personally use a roux. I use a seafood stock. I use a ton of onions.
Konow’s demonstration at the Culture Sur La Table tent at 2:15 p.m. Saturday, will be followed by a lesson from his wife, Katie O’Hara Konow, who is the head
See FOOD, page 6C
“In my opinion, the seafood stock is the most important part of the dish. That’s your blank canvas, that’s where you implement a lot of the undertones and a lot of the flavors that contribute to the protein, which is the crawfish.”
AP PHOTO By ANGELINA KATSANIS
model walks the runway at the eBay Endless Runway show during New york Fashion Week
FILE PHOTO By ROBIN MAy
Maria Inzerella, left, and Nicolas Miller have some fun serving beignets at the Poupart Bakery food tent during the 2022 Festivals Acadiens et Créoles in Lafayette.
PROVIDED PHOTO
The
Festival at Festivals Acadiens et Créoles features Cajun and Creole restaurants from across Acadiana. The festival will be held
Friday to Sunday at Girard Park in Lafayette.
Just asktroubledrelative howthey’re doinginlife
Dear Miss Manners: Ihave seen aclose relative in the news for something nefarious. Iknow they must be upset by the reports, and I sincerely feelbad for them, as Iknow this action was out of character. Should Iacknowledge the incident and comfort them, or just ignore the whole thing? Iwant to let them know things will be OK but don’twant to embarrass them. Gentle reader: Miss Manners notes that the action was not, however, so outofcharacter that you appear to have any doubt about the facts. The approach to take is to ask how they are doing. Youwill not need —orwant —tomention the incident directly,oreven add any special inflection when you ask how they are. Most people are well-informed
abouttheir own lives, so they will make theconnection and you can then follow that lead
By The Associated Press
Today is Wednesday, Oct. 8, the 281st day of 2025. There are 84 days left in the year
Todayinhistory:
Dear Miss Manners: My husband diedunexpectedly three months ago. It wasa shock andIamnot OK. But sometimes I have to gogrocery shopping. As Istart to movearound in the world again, peoplestop me frequently andask how I’m doing. This is difficultto answer,and Iunderstand they are trying to be kind.But then they often go ontoshare with me painfulstories of thespouse,sibling,child or dear friend they lost,and howhard itwas for them Ithink this is an effort to show solidarity or demonstrate that I’m not alone in my grief. But it ends up with me shouldering theburden of gathering
heartbreaking, sometimes traumatic, stories as Igo through my day.This nearconstant reminder of how unhappy people are inside is not making things easier; it’smakingmewanttogo back to hibernating. When someone, maybe with good intent, starts oversharing, how do Ipolitely get them to just not?I’m sure their pain is real and that they also need support,but Iamnot the person to give it right now
Gentlereader: “Thank you so much for asking. I’mstill at that stage where everythingreminds me of my loss, which is why Iamnot going out.Iwould love to see you again and talk more when I’m able to. Excuse me.” The difficult —but critical —next step is then to walk away
Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com.
Continued from page5C
complements the other ingredients. I’m avegetarian, but you can add chicken for extra protein. I’ve had it three times since it was added to The Gregory’smenu.
—Deanna B. Narveson, deputy metro editor
Five cheese lasagna with meatball
n DiGiulio BrothersItalian Cafe, 2903 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge
If I’m being honest, I haven’thad lasagna in probably 10 years. Atravesty,I know,especially whenit’s this good at DiGiulioBrothers. Any trip to the Perkins Overpass-area restaurantis atreat, and it was genuinely hardtopick something from the menu. Iwanted to try everything, including the specials on the board, but Istuck with aclassic. The lasagna itself is meat-
less and instead filledwith ricotta, Parmesan, Romano, provolone and mozzarella cheese. It’sserved with one meatballthat’s bigenough to cut into at least four pieces.
Thewholething was rich, fillingand incredibly cheesy in thebest waywith homemade redsauceand noodlesthat melted inmy mouth. It was the kind of dish that mademedance in my seat.
—Lauren Cheramie, features coordinator
Veal Parmesan n Ruffino’s, 18811 Highland Road, Baton Rouge
When aspecial occasion called for aspecial meal
with extended family,we turned to Ruffino’s.
From steaks toseafood to Italian specialties, Iopted for theveal Parmesan, which did not disappoint. Twolarge, thick,lightly breaded and fried tender beef cutlets sat atop abed of capellini (a thin pastawith adiameter just slightly thicker than angel hair).Asubtly sweet house marinara covered both.
Lots of melted mozzarella and agarnish of freshly chopped parsley completed thedish —aflavorful combination of classic Italian components.
Afew words about the size of this menu item: As soon as it arrived, Iknew ato-go box was in my future. Making it through about 25% of the plate, the leftovers madefor two lunches
Andasfor our special occasion, the staff made it feel like acelebration from start tofinish, including sweet,fluffy cotton candy for thehonoree.
—Judy Bergeron, Features assistant editor
On Oct. 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Firebegan; more than 300 people died and morethan 17,000 structures weredestroyed during the three-day blaze.
Also on this date:
In 1956, Don Larsen pitched the only perfect gameinaWorld Series as the New York Yankees beat theBrooklyn Dodgers in Game 5, 2-0.
In 1997, scientists reported the Mars Pathfinder had yielded what could be thestrongest evidence yet that Mars might once have been hospitable tolife.
In 2005, amagnitude 7.6 earthquake on the Pakistan-India border killed an estimated 86,000 people.
In 2016, Donald Trump
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comparisontothe environmental impact of producing anew garment, she said. Experts saytrulysustainable fashion requires breakingaway from the fast-fashion mindset—the constantpressure to “buy now” andthe manufactured sense of scarcity that fuels overconsumption.
“Haul” culture —the social mediatrendofshowing off massive shopping sprees —shows overconsumption in anew way, said Katrina Caspelich, communications director for Remake, an advocacy group for human rightsand climate justice in fashion. “Responsible secondhand shopping means choosing pieces you’ll truly wear, investing in quality andresisting the pull of endless trend cycles,” she said. Spotting thebest It can be difficult to determinequalitywhen shopping online, but asking the sellerabout the garment’s composition can help,said Wisdom Kaye, amenswear content creator Natural fabrics are agood place to start, said Caspelich.
“Look for silk, cotton, bamboo —thingsthat breathe and last —versus
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bakeratLafayette’sFive Mile Eatery Konow anticipates ruffling afew featherswith theaddition of tomatoes to his étouffée, which adds acidity and balances the other flavors. Tomatoes in southLouisiana cooking areoften abattleground ingredient, indicating regional rivalries and heated debates over whether tomatoes belong in dishes like gumbo (New Orleans
vowed to continue his campaign after manyRepublicans called on him to abandon his presidential bid in the wakeofthe release of a2005 video in which he madelewd remarks about womenand appeared to condone sexual assault.
In 2020, authorities in Michigan said six men had been charged with conspiring to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in reaction to what they viewed as her “uncontrolled power.”
In 2022, an explosion caused the partial collapse of abridge linking the Crimean Peninsula with Russia, damaging an important supply artery for the Kremlin’swar effort in southern Ukraine.
In 2024, two pioneers of artificial intelligence —Canadian John Hopfield and American Geoffrey Hinton —won the Nobel Prize in physics forhelping create
synthetics like polyester or nylon,” she said.
Shoppers should look for items that are linedand makenote of the quality of thestitching,saidJulian Carter,amenswear content creator Other secondhand buyers wanttobuy heftierclothing madebefore the mid-1990s, when moreU.S. products were made without outsourced labor or alot of cost-cutting, said Wesley Breed,a fashion history content creator
From the year to the color,shoppers sifting through hundreds of thousands of search results online should be very specific about what they want,saidAimeeKelly,a fashion content creator “It helps youfind the cooler pieces,” she said. “And have patience —look around, you’regonna find it.”
Making your pieces last Finding theright item is only the first step—caring foritensures it stays in circulation.
Stuff bags to maintain their shape, keep clothing in garmentbags,and use muslin bags andlavender sprays to keep outmoths thateat natural fabrics like silk,wooland fur,said Liana Satenstein, host of eBay’s Endless Runway secondhand fashion show People can also wear
says yes, Lafayette says no).
According to Konow, who is from Baton Rouge, debateslike this arewhere the fun andcreativity come into Louisiana cooking.
“If you’re in Terrebonne, you’re going to do something different from East Baton Rouge or Lafayette,” he said. “That’sthe cool part, in my opinion. It’s fun to converse withpeople from your own state who do things differently. Ithink just the conversation alone is worth the experience.”
The BayouFood Festivalmenuisavailable on
the building blocks of machine learning that is revolutionizing the way people work and live. Today’sBirthdays: Actor Paul Hogan is 86. Civil rights activist The Rev.Jesse Jackson is 84. Comedian Chevy Chase is 82. Author R.L. Stine is 82. Actor Sigourney Weaver is 76. Musician Robert “Kool” Bell (Kool &the Gang) is 75. Producer-director
clothes more between washes, spot-clean and airdry clothes, and learn to sew
“You’d be shocked how manypeople just toss acardigan becausea button fell off,” Caspelich said.
Keepingfashion in theloop Secondhand sustainability isn’tjust about keeping clothes out of landfills. People who try to sellor give away their clothes should be mindful of where they’regoing, said Mizrachi, the Yale researcher
“Try to give them to smaller community stores or shelters —placesthat youknoware happy to get those clothes,” Mizrachi said.
Zara, H&M andother brands have launched recycling programs.
eBay recently partnered with British retailer Marks &Spencer for atake-back programthat lets shoppers return itemsin-storetobe resold on eBay But the mostsustainable choice is simply buying less, Mizrachi said. The only waytomakefashion companies change how they do business is to make overconsumption unprofitable —which means buyers need to change their habits, she said.
“Wecan’tpurchase our wayout of the climate crisis,” Mizrachi said.
theFestivalsAcadiens et Créoles website, and the festivalwill run from Friday to Sunday at Girard Park in Lafayette. The schedule includes local chef demonstrations at the Culture Sur La Table tent, including Vestal’sKonow with crawfish étouffée, Prejean’s Chris Landreneau with Cajun fried rice, Todd Rojasfrom Sunday’sSoda Fountain with deer sausage andquail scotch egg, and others. Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.
Martin MISS MANNERS
STAFF PHOTO By JUDyBERGERON
Parmesan at Ruffino’s
STAFF PHOTO By LAUREN CHERAMIE
Five cheese lasagna with meatball from DiGiulioBrothers Italian Cafe
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Look for solitude when dealing with personal matters and how you want to live your life. Refuse to let others dictate what's best for you. It's up to you to maintain peace.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Don't hide out when you should network. To succeed, you must participate. Attend events, make cold calls and share your history, thoughtsandexperiencewithotherplayers who share your concerns and interests.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Consider your health and well-being before agreeing to something that may be physically taxing. Clear-cut rules, standards or hours will make a positive difference for you and those you plan to work alongside.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Lookatthebig picture; consider where your steps lead if you put your energy into combining both domestic and professional needs. Love looks promising.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Lookforunique possibilitiesthatresonatewithwhatmotivatesyouaswellasthosewithwhomyou want to maintain a good relationship. A financial investment or job opportunity looks promising.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Count your blessings and do whatever it takes to push your journey forward. Engage in activities and events of interest that expand your circle of friends and human contact.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Listen carefully and consider the suggestions and infor-
mation you receive You may not like what you hear, but if you turn the information into something positive, it can ultimately become a win-win situation.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Explore your options,feelings,andwhatandwhoinfluences and affects your life. Physical and emotionalchangesappearpromisingand help address issues you're struggling with.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Gather data and base decisions on facts. Don't wait for opportunities to come to you when effort on your part is necessary Timing iscritical if you want to get the best results.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) Attend events that combine work and pleasure, and you'll connect with people who interest you personally and professionally Home improvements can enhance your comfort and convenience.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Put a plan in place before you start sharing your intentions with loved ones or associates Your charm will only get you so far; a combination of brain and brawn will be impossible to resist.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Sit tight, wait, watch and put together possible options. Preparation will make a difference, so pay attention to detail and have alternatives ready in case anyone questions your intentions.
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer
nea CroSSwordS La TimeS CroSSword
THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
CurTiS
BY PHILLIP ALDER
Who said, “We do not learn by inferenceanddeductionandtheapplicationof mathematics tophilosophy,but bydirect intercourse and sympathy”?
Interestingly, when hunting suitable quotations for these columns, this is the first I found exactly word for word credited to two different people; in this case, Henry David Thoreau and Richard M Nixon. Is it possible thatNixon borrowed from Thoreau?
Whichever, clearly neither was a bridge player. Our game is full of inferences from which we learn information aboutadeal.Becausesomeonedidsomething, he must have this or cannot have that.
Today’s deal is a testing example of this. South is in four hearts. West leads the diamond three, dummy’s 10 taking the trick. How should South continue?
South has only nine winners: six hearts and three diamonds. He probably needs to guess clubs.
However, before doing that, he should draw trumps, cash his diamond tricks andexitwithaspade.Here,supposeEast wins with his queen and cashes the ace. Then his best play is immediately to shift toalowclub Ifhedoes,shouldSouthplay his jack or king? Probably, though, East will try to cash a third spade. Declarer ruffs, crosses to dummy with a trump, and leads a club up.
Average
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles
BRIEFS
FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
Fire disrupts aluminum supply for automakers
Ford Motor Co. said it’s working to minimize manufacturing disruptions after a fire took out a New York plant that supplies roughly 40% of the aluminum sheet used in the auto industry Aluminum makes up the bodies of the automaker’s F-Series trucks, the country’s best-selling vehicles that drive the company’s earnings A late-night fire on Sept. 16 at Atlantabased Novelis Inc.’s Oswego, New York, plant damaged a building with the company’s hot mill that supplies the aluminum sheets for automakers, rendering it unusable. A major part of the plant will be offline until early next year Ford declined to provide details on the fire’s impact, including whether vehicle production has been affected. Dearborn Truck Assembly, one of Ford’s plants that produces F-150s, was running Tuesday, said Tony Richard, first vice president of United Auto Workers Local 600 that represents employees at the plant. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the fire’s automotive sector disruptions. About a dozen automakers use aluminum from Novelis, including Ford, Chrysler-maker Stellantis NV, Toyota Motor Corp., Hyundai Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Stellantis spokesperson Jodi Tinson said the company is monitoring the situation at Novelis.
USDA: Hello Fresh’s spinach may be tainted with listeria Federal health officials late Monday warned people not to eat certain Hello Fresh subscription meal kits containing spinach that may be contaminated with listeria.
The U.S. Agriculture Department issued a public health alert for the meals, which were produced by FreshRealm, the San Clemente, California-based company linked to an expanding listeria outbreak tied to heat-and-eat pasta meals.
The products include 10.1-ounce containers of Hello Fresh Ready Made Meals Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta and 10-ounce containers of Hello Fresh Ready Made Meals Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey. Both were shipped directly to consumers. The pork pepper pasta is identified with establishment number Est. 47718 and lot code 49107 or Est. 2937 and lot code 48840. The unstuffed peppers with ground turkey is identified with Est. P-47718 and lot codes 50069, 50073 or 50698.
Toyota recalls nearly 400K Tundras and Sequoias
WASHINGTON Toyota is recalling nearly 400,000 vehicles because the rearview camera may not display when backing up, increasing the risk of a crash, federal traffic safety regulators said. Included in the recall are 2022-25 Toyota Tundras and Tundra hybrids and 2023-25 Sequoia hybrids. The number of automobiles in the recall totals 393,838, with the nonhybrid Tundra making up more than half of them. The camera display malfunction is caused by a software problem, which will be fixed with an update by dealerships free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Nov 16 Owners can contact Toyota’s customer service at (800) 331-4331. The numbers for the recall are 25TB10 and 25TA10
Tesla drops prices on two models
NEW YORK Tesla rolled out new, cheaper versions of two of its electric car models on Tuesday in hopes the offerings will help revive flagging sales.
The new Model Y, costing just under $40,000 with a stripped-down interior follows a slump in Tesla sales covering most of the past year due to anti-Elon Musk boycotts targeting the company The company is also offering a cheaper version of its Model 3 for under $35,000.
The company is under intense pressure to lift sales but is facing big challenges. In addition to anti-Musk backlash, it is contending with a likely hit to demand after a federal tax credit worth as $7,500 for EV purchases expired at the end of September
Compared to previous models the new Model Y comes with a shorter 321-mile driving range, fewer audio speakers and a fabric interior, not microsuede. The model also lacks a panoramic glass roof and a touch screen in the second row
THEADVOCATE.COM/news/business
Stocks snap 7-day winning streak
Gold price tops $4,000 per ounce
BY STAN CHOE Associated Press
NEW YORK Wall Street’s recordbreaking rally ran out of momentum on Tuesday after the price of gold topped $4,000 per ounce for the first time.
The S&P 500 dipped 0.4% from its latest all-time high and broke a seven-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 91 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.7%.
Stocks took a pause following a nearly relentless rush higher since April on hopes that the economy will remain resilient and that the Federal Reserve will continue to cut interest rates. Tesla was the heaviest weight
on the market and dropped 4.4% after unveiling cheaper versions of two of its electric car models. The stock gave back most of its leap from the prior day, when speculation and hype built after Tesla hinted at a coming product announcement.
Oracle also helped drag the market lower It fell 2.5% after a news report suggested it’s making thin profit margins on a key line of business related to artificial-intelligence technology
The frenzy around AI has been one of the biggest trends guiding Wall Street to record after record recently It’s been so strong that it’s raised worries that prices have potentially shot too high across the market.
On Tuesday Dell climbed 3.5% after executives talked up the company’s opportunity for growth because of AI at an investment conference. Advanced Micro Devices rallied 3.8% to add to its surge from Monday, when it announced a deal where OpenAI will use its chips to power AI infrastructure. IBM rose 1.5% after announcing a partnership that will integrate Anthropic’s Claude AI chatbot into some of its software products.
In Toronto, shares of Trilogy Metals more than tripled after the White House said late Monday that it’s taking a 10% equity stake in the Canadian company while allowing the Ambler Road mining project in Alaska to go forward.
President Donald Trump late Monday ordered the approval of a proposed 211-mile road through an Alaska wilderness to allow mining of copper cobalt gold and other minerals used in production of cars, electronics and other technologies. Trilogy is seeking to develop the Ambler site along with an Australian partner
Much is riding on expectations that the AI investment boom will pay off by making the global economy more productive and driving more growth. Without that increased efficiency, inflation could push higher due to upward pressure coming from the mountains of debt that the U.S. and other governments worldwide are building. That has optimists on Wall Street buying tech stocks and pessimists buying gold, according to Thierry Wizman, a strategist at Macquarie Group.
is
Trump mulls trade deal
Canadian leader expresses concerns over negotiations among North American countries
BY ROB GILLIES Associated Press
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was open to extending the free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada through a renegotiation or seeking “different deals” as he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House.
Carney made his second visit to the Oval Office ahead of next year’s review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and as one of the world’s most durable and amicable alliances has been affected by Trump’s trade war and annexation threats. The free trade agreement was enacted during Trump’s first term, and it allows the majority of Canadian and Mexican goods to be shipped to the U.S. without tariffs.
But Trump has made it clear since returning to office that he wants to reshape the relationship, and he expressed ambivalence over the process as long as he feels like he’s able to improve America’s position.
“We could renegotiate it, and that would be good, or we can just do different deals,” he said.
“We’re allowed to do different deals if we want. We might make deals that are better for the individual countries.”
The remarks suggested that Trump is willing to let uncertainty over the agreement’s future linger
‘Natural conflict’
Carney entered the visit hop-
ing to find some relief on sectorspecific tariffs. There is fear in Canada over what will happen to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is critical to
Canada’s economy More than three-quarters of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. Trump showed a fondness for Carney — something he didn’t display toward Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau — but noted there was a “natural conflict” between the two countries, a point to which the prime minister politely disagreed.
“We want Canada to do great,” Trump said. “But you know, there’s a point at which we also want the same business.”
Asked why the U.S. and Canada have failed to reach a deal on trade, Trump said it’s a complicated situation.
“We have natural conflict,” he said. “We also have mutual love.”
Carney balked at Trump’s use of the word “conflict.”
“There are areas where we compete, and it’s in those areas where we have to come to an agreement that works But there are more areas where we are stronger together, and that’s what we’re focused on.”
‘Outright rebellion’
Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st state and his tariffs have Canadians feeling an undeniable sense of betrayal. The U.S. president made a joking reference to a “merger” between the two countries at the top of his remarks Tuesday Relations with Canada’s southern neighbor and longtime ally are at a low point.
“We’ve had ups and downs, but this is the lowest point in relations that I can recall,” said Frank McKenna, a former Canadian ambassador to the United States and current deputy chairman of TD Bank.
“I talk every day to ordinary citizens who are changing their
vacation plans, and I talk to large business owners who are moving reward trips away or executive business trips,” McKenna said. “There is an outright rebellion.”
Carney has said the USMCA is an advantage for Canada at a time when it is clear that the U.S. is charging for access to its market. Carney has said the commitment of the U.S. to the core of USMCA means that more than 85% of Canada-U.S. trade continues to be free of tariffs.
But Trump has some sectorspecific tariffs on Canada, known as Section 232 tariffs, that are having an impact There are 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, for example.
Asked by a reporter about the prospect of Canada getting some relief in steel and aluminum tariffs, Trump said it would be something they would discuss.
Close connections
The ties between the two countries are without parallel. About $2.5 billion worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. There is close cooperation on defense, border security and law enforcement, and a vast overlap in culture, traditions and pastimes.
About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada.
Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security
Official says shutdown adds stress on air traffic controllers
BY JOSH FUNK AP transportation writer
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday that the government shutdown is putting more stress on air traffic controllers who already have an extremely stressful job, as well as threatening a program that small communities rely on to help subsidize airline service. Controllers are expected to continue working without a paycheck Duffy said, so they are now worried about how to pay their bills in addition to worrying about keeping flights safe. And there have started to be instances of controllers calling out sick, leading to delays at several airports Monday “Now what they think about as they’re controlling our airspace is, how am I going to pay my mortgage? How do I make my car payment? I have a couple kids at home. How do I put food on the table? I’m working six days a week. Do I have to take a second job and drive Uber when I’m already exhausted from doing a job that’s already stressful to think about how I can make extra money because the government may not provide me a paycheck?” Duffy said.
The Transportation Department has been able to keep the air traffic controller academy in Oklahoma City open for now with funding from previous years, but Duffy is still concerned about the potential impact on efforts to hire and train new controllers in the hope of eliminating a longstanding shortage. Duffy said the support staff who train controllers after they come out of the academy could be laid off.
By Monday evening, the FAA was reporting that staffing shortages were creating delays in the Burbank, Newark and Denver airports. The worst problems were in Burbank, where California Gov Gavin Newsom said no controllers were on duty during the evening, leading to average delays of 21/2 hours at that airport.
The Essential Air Service program that subsidizes airline service to small communities across the country will also quickly run out of money Duffy said that program enjoys strong bipartisan support and provides an important lifeline to many small communities. It is especially important in Alaska, where flying is the only way to travel between many communities.
“That money runs out this Sunday So there’s many small communities across the country that will now no longer have the resources to make sure they have air service in their community,” Duffy said.
Duffy
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVAN VUCCI
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a meeting Tuesday with President Donald Trump at the White House. Carney entered the visit hoping to find some relief on sector-specific tariffs. There is fear in Canada over what will happen to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which
